Randolph Cosby Nesbitt

Randolph Cosby Nesbitt VC (20 September 1867 – 23 July 1956) was a South African 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

Nesbitt was 28 years old and a Captain in the Mashonaland Mounted Police, South African Forces during the Mashona Rebellion. On 19 June 1896 near Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Captain Nesbitt led a patrol consisting of only 13 men to go to the rescue of the miners at the Alice Mine in Mazoe Valley, who were surrounded by hordes of rebels. Captain Nesbitt and his patrol fought their way through the enemy and succeeded in getting the beleaguered party (including three women) back to Salisbury in spite of heavy fighting in which three of the small rescue party were killed and five wounded.

Nesbitt later achieved the rank of Major and lived until the mid 50s and died in the Cape. He was always very embarrassed at having been singled out for the award, and felt the whole party had behaved heroically.

The medal was kept in the Museum in Salisbury (now Harare) until Independence. It was loaned out, once a year, to Blakiston School, in Salisbury/Harare when the event of the Mazoe Patrol was commemorated. Blakiston, Nesbitt, Routledge and Pascoe were the four main leaders and instigators of the rescue.