Hugh Shaw (British Army officer)

Hugh Shaw
Born	4 February 1839 Madras, British India
Died	25 August 1904 Southsea, Hampshire
Buried	Highland Road Cemetery, Portsmouth
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1855 - 1887
Rank	Major General
Unit	18th Regiment of Foot Royal Irish Regiment
Battles/wars	Crimean War Indian Mutiny New Zealand Land Wars Second Anglo-Afghan War Mahdist War
Awards	Victoria Cross Order of the Bath

Major General Hugh Shaw VC, CB (4 February 1839 – 25 August 1904) He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He married Emily Grace Sheffield on 21 June 1870.

Details

Born the son of James Shaw, an Inspector General of Hospitals in Madras, and Ann Hay, Shaw was 25 years old, and a captain in the 18th Regiment (later The Royal Irish Regiment), British Army during the New Zealand Land Wars. On 24 January 1865 the following deed led to the award of the Victoria Cross.

For his gallant conduct at the skirmish near Nukumaru, in New Zealand, on the 24th of January last, in proceeding, under a heavy fire, with four Privates of the Regiment, who volunteered to accompany, him, to within 30 yards of the bush occupied by the Rebels, in order to carry off a comrade who was badly wounded. On the afternoon of that day, Captain Shaw was ordered to occupy a position about half a mile from the Camp. He advanced in skirmishing order, and, when about 30-yards from the bush, he deemed it prudent to retire to a palisade about 60 yards from the bush, as two of his party had been wounded. Finding that one of them was unable to move, he called for volunteers to advance to the front to carry the man to the rear, and the four Privates referred to accompanied him, under a heavy fire, to the place where the wounded man was lying, and they succeeded in bringing him to the rear.

He later achieved the rank of major general. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Portsmouth Memorial Page

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Hampshire)