Francis Aylmer Maxwell VC

Name: Francis Aylmer Maxwell

Conflict: Second Boer War

Gazetted: March 8, 1901

Service: Army

Place/date of birth: Guildford, Surrey/September 7, 1871

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Lieutenant (later Brigadier General)

Date of bravery: March 31, 1900

London Gazette citation:

Indian Staff Corps, attached to Roberts’s Light Horse. Lieutenant F.A. Maxwell, D.S.O.

Lieutenant Maxwell was one of three Officers not belonging to “Q” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, specially mentioned by Lord Roberts as having shown the greatest gallantry, and disregard of danger, in carrying out the self-imposed duty of saving the guns of that Battery during the affair at Korn Spruit on 31st March, 1900.

This Officer went out on five different occasions and assisted, to bring in two guns and three limbers, one of which he, Captain Humphreys, and some Gunners, dragged in by hand.

He also went out with Captain Humphreys and Lieutenant Stirling to try to get the last gun in, and remained there till the attempt was abandoned.

During a previous Campaign (the Chitral Expedition of 1895) Lieutenant Maxwell displayed gallantry in the removal of the body of Lieutenant-Colonel F. D. Battye, Corps of Guides, under fire, for which, though recommended, he received no reward.

Click here to see full Gazette entry.

Other decorations: CSI, DSO and Bar

Place/date of death: Ypres, Belgium/September 21, 1917

Grave/memorials: Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium; St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Spink, London, 1998

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum