1395 Private John Williams VC
Private (later Sergeant) of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment (later The South Wales Borderers). He was born in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire on 24th May 1857 and died in Cwmbran, Monmouthshire on 25th November 1932. His VC is on display at The Royal Regiment of Wales Museum.
Account of deed: On 22/23 January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Private Williams and two other men held a distant room of the hospital for more than an hour until they had no ammunition left, when the Zulus burst in and killed one of the men and two patients. Meanwhile Private Williams had succeeded in knocking a hole in the partition and took the remaining patients through into the next ward. He was there joined by another man (Henry Hook) and working together (one holding the enemy at bayonet point while the other broke through three more partitions) they were able to bring eight patients into the inner line of defence.
Account of Deed taken from 'The Register of the Victoria Cross', published by This England.
Victoria Cross Reference Web Site - John Williams
Rorke's Drift website - John Williams
John Williams real name was John Williams Fielding but he enlisted in the army (in 1877) as John Williams to avoid being traced after running away from home. He received his Victoria Cross from Major General Anderson in Gibralter on 1st March 1880. He left the army in 1893, married and had three sons. The eldest son was killed serving with the South Wales Borderers during the retreat from Mons in 1914. He worked at the South Wales Borderers Depot on the civilian staff during World War I. He died in 1932 whilst living at the home of his daughter in Cwmbran. He was the last of the Rorke's drift VC's to die.
John Williams Fielding is buried at St. Michael's Churchyard, Llantarnum, Gwent
Burial Location VC Holders Web Site - John Williams