Lord William Leslie de la Poer Beresford (VC, KCIE) (20 July, 1847 – 28 December, 1900) 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.

The son of John de La Poer Beresford, 4th Marquess of Waterford , Beresford was 31 years old, and a Captain in the 9th Lancers (The Queen's Royal) , British Army during the Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 3 July 1879 at Ulundi, Zululand, South Africa, during the retirement of a reconnoitring party, Captain Lord William Beresford went to the assistance of an NCO of the 24th Regiment, whose horse had fallen and rolled on him. The Zulus were coming in great numbers, but Lord William, with help from a sergeant (Edmund O'toole) of the Frontier Light Horse, managed to mount the injured man behind him. He was, however, so dizzy that the sergeant, who had been keeping back the advancing Zulus, gave up his carbine and, riding alongside, helped to hold him on. They all finally reached safety.

He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

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 (Co. Waterford, Ireland)
• Biographical Details

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.