Uncovered, one of the very first VCs from a forgotten war
Descendant donates 1857 857 medal along with portraitrait of young officer and every item depicted in it
THE portrait of a young officer in full ceremonial uniform harks back to a British military campaign that has faded into distant memory.
Lt John Grant Malcolmson was only 21 years old when he charged on his horse through a square of infantry to save a fellow officer during the Battle of Khushab in Persia on Feb 8 1857, earning him the nation’s highest medal for battlefield bravery.
Now his Victoria Cross, along with the portrait and the entire ceremonial uniform depicted in it, has been given to the National Army Museum in what curators have described as a “once in a lifetime” donation.
Curators said it was difficult to value the collection, but it was estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. A keen market for Victoria Crosses at auction means that such donations have become very rare.
“This is one of the very earliest Victoria Crosses and they just don’t get donated these days,” said Chris Cooper, a curator at the Chelsea-based museum.
“There’s so much hype around the VCs and they are so rare and so valuable and the stories behind them are so well documented that they attract massive interest. When they come up at auction we can’t really compete.
“It’s an incredible collection in terms of our VCs. It’s incredibly generous. For a curator it’s a once in a lifetime acquisition. I think it will be a very long time before someone donates a VC again to us, or to any museum.”
Lt Malcolmson had been serving with the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry. He was part of a force dispatched from India at the height of Britain’s Great Game rivalry with Russia. Britain wanted to put pressure on Persia, seen as sympathetic to Russia, into dropping its claims on the Afghan city of Herat.
British forces clashed with the Persians near Bushehr. During the battle the cavalry led by the unit’s adjutant, Lt Arthur Moore, charged a square of infantry. Moore broke through, but his horse was killed under him leaving him trapped with only a broken sword.
The Victoria Cross citation states: “Lt Moore speedily extricated himself and attempted with his broken sword to force his way through the press. But he would assuredly have lost his life had not the gallant young Lt Malcolmson, observing his peril, fought his way to h his dismounted comrade through enem enemies, to his rescue, and giving him his stirrup, safely carried him through and out of the throng.”
Moore and Malcolmson were awar awarded the VC, which had been inaugu augurated a year earlier. Mr Cooper said: “Cavalry breaking a square like that didn’t happen often, it’s an impressive feat of arms. The charge broke the square, the cavalry poured in and it ended the battle.”
The donor, who declined to be named, is a direct descendant and has been in charge of the heirlooms for 30 years. The medals have been in a bank while other items, including the portrait by Louis William Desanges and a trove of military equipment, have been in boxes. She said: “They are amazing items but they are stuck in a box or in a bank. No one was able to see or take pride in them.”
Lt Malcolmson, who was born in Inverness, later fought during the Indian Mutiny and rose to the rank of captain. He died in 1902.
‘I think hink i it will be a very long time before someone donates a VC again’