Photo submitted by Neil Hutton

Frederick Augustus Smith was an Irish 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.

Details

He was 37 years old, and a Captain in the 43rd Regiment (later the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry), British Army during the Waikato-Hauhau Maori War, New Zealand when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 21 June 1864 at Tauranga, New Zealand, Captain Smith led an attack on the enemy's position and although wounded before reaching the rifle-pits, he jumped down and began a hand-to-hand encounter with the enemy, setting a fine example to his men.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

The medal

please update if you know where his medal is publicly displayed

Reference

• Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/ireland.htm) (Co. Meath, Ireland)
• VC medal auction details (http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/aaauctio.htm)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference (http://www.victoriacross.net) with permission.