Pearson's War Pictures.

[norwood]

I have two copies of this publication :

1. No 5 Vol 1 Mar 10th 1900

2. No 16 Vol 1 May 26th 1900


In one of them it has a drawing with the title :


" Fitz-maurice winning VC "

I cannot find this person or any record of him.

I am hoping you guys can help me.


Norwood

[Les]

That's a new one on me! Maybe he's related to the elusive Mrs Bell??

Is there an article accompanying the picture... maybe saying where (which battle) that could help pin him down?

[norwood]

Here is the exact wording :

---------------------------------------------------

How Fitz-maurice won the VC


The boers had tackled his colonel so he thought with them he'd deal


Gave two a dose of lead and the other one cold steel


Shot and shell flew round him but onward gasping for breath


He carried him through the fire from the very jaws of death.




-------------------------------------------------



The drawing was by Fred S Howard. Magazine dated Mar 10 1900



Norwood

[roberthenry]

Hello Norwood,
A few years ago there was a VC site (now defunct) and I distinctly remember someone asking for information on a VC winner called Fitzmaurice ( it's an Irish name and so am I )and it turned out that he appeared on a collection of cigarette cards depicting VC Heroes, and some of the other members knew that the collection depicted six soldiers who had never won the VC, Fitzmaurice being one of them.
Possibly the information in the publication came from the same sources.

I have had a look at your website on the VCs from the Boer War, and all of the VC winners from that campaign are there.

R Henry

[norwood]

Thank you for the info.


I was going to scan it today at work (my scanner is broken) and post it for you to see, may be some clues in the pic.


Norwood

[norwood]

Hi,

This the pic :

[Les]

I'm not convinced that it is the Boer War era. The uniform isn't quite right and is that a Lee Enfield (SMLE) in the picture?

The only connection I can find (straight away) is that a Captain (later Colonel) saved a chap called Fitzmaurice, of the 24th, in 1879. The Captain was awarded the VC. He was Lord William Leslie de la Poer Beresford.

EDIT - typos by the dozen

[norwood]

I agree Les ,


But the drawing is from a Magazine dated 1900 ?

This is the info I received from another forum.

Another V.C. of my acquaintance ORG believes this to be Lord William de la Poer Beresford, recorded by Arthur (p. 128) as Lord William Leslie de la Poer Beresford, Captain, 9th Lancers, who went to the assistance of Sergeant Fitzmaurice whose horse had been speared by a Zulu saying 'If you don’t get up I’ll punch your head for you!'. They were joined by Sergeant O’Toole, who fired at the enemy, held the wounded Fitzmaurice upright in the saddle and received a Cross himself after Beresford told Queen Victoria that he could not accept a Cross unless O’Toole received one as well.





original oil painting depicting Sergeant John Fitzmaurice by Jason Askew. John Fitzmaurice enlisted in the 24th Regiment Foot in 1864. He served with distinction with the Mounted Infantry of the 1st Battalion in Frontier and Zulu wars in South Africa in 1878 and 1879. Near the White Umfolosi River during the advance towards the Zulu capital of Ulundi on 3rd July 1879, he was unseated from his horse when surprised by the Zulus. Sergeant Fitzmaurice would have been killed had not Captain Lord William Beresford, 9th Lancers and Sergeant Edmund O’Toole, Frontier Light Horse ridden back to save him. Captain Beresford and Sergeant O’Toole were later both awarded the Victoria Cross for their gallant action.

[anthony]

Does anyone have details on the claim that “Beresford told Queen Victoria that he could not accept a Cross unless O’Toole received one as well?” Since Beresford received his VC from the Queen in 24 August 1879, six weeks before the award to O’Toole was gazetted it is possible that he mentioned O’Toole to the Queen at the presentation. And could that have morphed into Beresford TELLING the Queen that he could not accept a VC unless O’Toole was also decorated.

[norwood]

Hi, I have read this story somewhere .... but where ?


I will have a look through my hard drive.


Norwood

[norwood]

www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/zulu/vc_lord_beresford.htm

[anthony]

Mar 22, 2009 8:11:14 GMT norwood said:

www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/zulu/vc_lord_beresford.htm

Thank you for the reference,

Anthony