Matthew Fontaine Maury Meiklejohn

Matthew Fontaine Maury Meiklejohn
The battle of Elandslaagte
Born	27 November 1870 Clapham, London
Died	4 July 1913 (aged 42) Hyde Park, London
Buried at	Brookwood Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1891 - 1913
Rank	Major
Unit	The Gordon Highlanders
Battles/wars	Chitral Expedition Tirah Campaign Second Boer War
Awards	Victoria Cross

Major Matthew Fontaine Maury Meiklejohn VC (27 November 1870 - 4 July 1913^[1]) was a British 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

Meiklejohn was educated at Fettes College. He was 28 years old, and a Captain in the 2nd Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders, British Army during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place at the Battle of Elandslaagte for which he was awarded the VC.

At the Battle of Elandslaagte on the 21st October, 1899, after the main Boer position had been captured, some men of the Gordon Highlanders, when about to assault a kopje in advance, were exposed to a heavy cross-fire and, having lost their leaders, commenced to waver. Seeing this, Captain Meiklejohn rushed to the front and called on the Gordons to follow him. By his conspicuous bravery and fearless example, he rallied the men and led them against the enemy's position, where he fell, desperately wounded in four places.^[2]

Further information

His VC action cost him his arm which was amputated. Despite this, he remained in the army and achieved the rank of major and was a staff officer. He died on 4 July 1913 following a fall from his horse in Hyde Park, and was given a hero's funeral in Brookwood Cemetery. He is commemorated by a plaque on the wall of the Hyde Park Barracks, London.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Notes

1. ^ Who's Who 1914, p. xxiii, gives 3 July as the date of death
2. ^ London Gazette: no. 27212. p. 4509. 20 July 1900. Retrieved 28 November 2009.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)

External links

• angloboerwar.com
• Location of grave and VC medal (Brookwood Cemetery)
• The Brookwood Cemetery Society (Known Holders of the Victoria Cross Commemorated in Brookwood Cemetery)

Persondata
Name	Meiklejohn,Matthew Fontaine Maury
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	27 November 1870
Place of birth	Clapham, London
Date of death	4 July 1913
Place of death	Hyde Park, London