James Dundas

Infobox Military Person
name= James Dundas
lived= 10 September 1842 - 23 December 1879
placeofbirth= Edinburgh, Scotland
placeofdeath= Sherpur, Afghanistan


caption= James Dundas
nickname=
allegiance= flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
serviceyears=
rank= Captain
branch=
commands=
unit=
battles=
awards= Victoria Cross
laterwork=

James Dundas VC (10 September 1842-23 December 1879) was a Scottish 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 22 years old, and a lieutenant in the Bengal Engineers, Indian Army during the Bhutan War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 30 April 1865 at Dewan-Giri, Bhootan, India, a number of the enemy, about 200 strong, had barricaded themselves in the blockhouse, which they continued to defend after the main body was in retreat. The blockhouse, which was loopholed, was the key of the enemy's position and on the orders of the general in command, Lieutenant Dundas and another officer (William Spottiswoode Trevor) had to climb a convert|14|ft|m|abbr=on. wall and then go head first through an opening only convert|2|ft|m wide. The two officers scaled the wall, followed, after they had set the example, by the Sikh soldiers, but they were both wounded. Dundas continued to fight and eventually killed 4 combatants and took 8 prisoners.

He was killed in action, Sherpur, Afghanistan, on 23 December 1879.

Further information

*He later achieved the rank of captain.
*"The Dundas Bridge", between Kabul and Bagram, Afghanistan , was named after him, by the British Army, Royal Engineers, following reconstruction work during 2002.

References

*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)
*Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)

External links

* [http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_his_vc.htm#1d Royal Engineers Museum] Sappers VCs