Redvers Buller

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Redvers Buller bigraphy, stories - Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Redvers Buller : biography

7 December 1839 – 2 June 1908

General Sir Redvers Henry Buller VC GCB GCMG (7 December 1839 – 2 June 1908) (pronounced "Reevers") was an English 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.

Death & burial

He died on 2 June 1908, at the family seat, Downes House, Crediton, Devon, and is buried in the churchyard of Holy Cross Church in Crediton. The entire western side of the chancel arch inside the church forms an elaborate monument to Sir Redvers.

Origins

Redvers Buller was born at the family estate of Downes, near Crediton in Devon, inherited by his great-grandfather James Buller (1740-1772) from his mother Elizabeth Gould, the wife of James Buller (1717-1765), MP.Burke’s Landed Gentry, 1937, p.279, Buller of Downes Redvers was the son of James Wentworth Buller (1798-1865), MP for Exeter. The Bullers were an old Cornish family, seated at Morval in Cornwall until their removal to Downes. The family estates inherited by Buller included 2,942 acres of Devon and 2,147 acres of Cornwall, which in 1876 produced an income of £14,137 a yearJohn Bateman: ‘The Great Landowners of Great Britain and Ireland’, p66

Zulu War and Victoria Cross

He then served in South Africa during the 9th Cape Frontier War in 1878 and the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. In the Zulu war he commanded the mounted infantry of the northern British column under Sir Evelyn Wood. He fought at the British defeat at the battle of Hlobane, where he was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery under fire. The following day he fought in the British victory at the battle of Kambula. After the Zulu attacks on the British position were beaten off, he led a ruthless pursuit by the mounted troops of the fleeing Zulus. In June 1879, he again commanded mounted troops at the battle of Ulundi, a decisive British victory which effectively ended the war. His VC citation reads:

In an interview to The Register newspaper of Adelaide, South Australia, dated 2 June 1917, Trooper George Ashby of the Frontier Light Horse (also referred to as "Pullein’s Pets") attached to the 24th Regiment gave an account of his rescue by Col. Buller: "…it was discovered that the mountain was surrounded by a vast horde of Zulus. An attempt was made to descend on the his little party endeavoured to fight their way down, and at last he and a man named Andrew Gemmell, now living in New Zealand, were the only ones left. With their faces to the foe, firing as they retired, they kept the Zulus at bay. Then an unfortunate thing happened, Cpl. Ashby’s rifle burst, but,— fortunately for him, Col. Buller, afterwards Sir Redvers Buller, who was one of the, party, came galloping by, and offered to ‘take him up behind him. Col. Buller was a heavy man, and his horse was a light one, and realizing this, Cpl. Ashby declined his generous offer. But the Colonel stayed with him, and, Cpl. Ashby having picked up a rifle and ammunition from a fallen comrade, the two men retired, firing whenever a foeman showed himself. They eventually reached the main camp, and for this service, as well as for saving the lives of two fellow-officers on the same occasion, Col. Buller received the Victoria Cross. Out of 500 men who made the attack on the Zjilobane Mountain, more than, 300 met their death." Adelaide, 2 June 1917

Early career

After completing his schooling at Eton he was commissioned into the 60th Rifles (King’s Royal Rifle Corps) in May 1858. He took part in the Second Opium War and was promoted to captain before taking part in the Canadian Red River Expedition of 1870. In 1873-1874 he was the intelligence officer under Lord Wolseley during the Ashanti campaign, during which he was slightly wounded at the Battle of Ordabai. He was promoted to major and appointed CB.

Second Boer War and sacking

Buller became head of the troops stationed at Aldershot in 1898 and was sent as commander of the Natal Field Force in 1899 on the outbreak of the Second Boer War, arriving at the end of October. He was defeated at the Battle of Colenso.