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Highgate Cemetery has nearly 200 graves for those who gave their lives during the two world wars, who are commemorated with a war grave headstone, and also on the war memorial situated in the courtyard. There are, however, a few notable military personnel interred within the cemetery from other conflicts. At least two holders of the Victoria Cross and one who fought during the Boer War. Many thanks to Phil Seaton for all his help and suport, and for sharing his knowledge on this subject.
ROBERT GRANT (1837-1867) Victoria Cross Recipient
Grant served as a Sargeant with the 1st Battalion of the 5th Regiment (now the Northumberland Fusiliers) and took part in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. On September 24th of 1857 whilst under heavy fire at Alumbagh, he rescued a soldier, Private E Deveney who had been shot in the leg, and with assistance of Lieutenant Brown successfully carried him back to safety. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He served 10 years in the army and left when he was about 27 years of age in 1864, joining the Metropolitan Police on August 1st of that year. Serving as PC 306 with Y division, stationed at Islington until his untimely death from inflammation of the lungs on 7th March 1867 aged 29/30. Grant was buried in a common grave in the West cemetery, which has recently been located, with plans to erect a memorial.
ANTHONY DICKSON HOME (1826-1914) Victoria Cross Recipient
Of Scottish birth he was educated at St Andrew's University, joining the army as an Assistant Surgeon in 1848, serving in the Army Medical Dept with the 3rd West Indian Regiment. He served in the Crimean War (1854-5) with the 13th Hussars, and then as Medical Officer to the 90th Regiment of Foot from 1855 to 1858. His Victoria Cross was awarded due to an event during the Indian Mutiny. On the 26th. September 1857, Surgeon Home was in charge of the wounded men left behind, whilst Sir Henry Havelock and his troops were attempting to retake the Residency at Lucknow. Due to casualties, the escort in charge of the wounded was reduced to a small party. The wounded and their escort were forced into a small house by the mutineers, which they managed to defend until it was set on fire. The escort then retreated to a shed, managing to defend it for twenty-two hours until they were relieved, by which point only Surgeon Home and six men were capable of firing a gun. The badly wounded included all four officers who were with the party and three died of their wounds. Home's citation concluded: "The fact that the wounded were safe and the defence was successful was mainly attributable to his brave conduct throughout."
BOMBADIER THOMAS LEWIS (1854-1910)
Lewis joined the Royal Artillery as Gunner 458 on November 21st, 1874. In February 1878 he was with 'N' Battery in South Africa, he was promoted to Bombadier. Bombardier Thomas Lewis had some luck that he perhaps did not regard as such. After a wagon overturned on him and badly injured his leg, he was in the Field Hospital at Rorkes Drift. Had this not been the case, he would have been with “N/5” at Isandhlwana. Rorkes Drift was a trading post built by James Rorke. In January 1879 it was serving as a Commissariat and Field Hospital. It was regarded as a backwater and lightly defended.
Zulus repeatedly attacked the hospital and set the roof alight. Henry Hook defended a doorway single handed for several hours with bullet and bayonet. Private 1395 John Williams hacked through walls with his bayonet to get the patients back to (relative) safety. At the other end of the building Privates 716 Robert Jones and 593 William Jones also defended each inch at bayonet point. Private Cole and another of the Hospital Guard were soon killed. Private 1398 Joseph Williams defended a window single handed and when his ammunition ran out, he continued to defend the window at bayonet point. Eventually the Zulus dragged him out and disembowled him. After the battle, 14 dead Zulus were found by “Joseph Williams Window” and many more in his field of fire.
Eventually the Hospital Guard got most of the patients out of the hospital and carried those who could not walk through a rain of assegais and bullets to the Commissariat. Thomas Lewis, had to jump out of a window despite injury to his leg, and crawl the 30 or so yards across open ground to some form of safety. Miraculously he reached the Commissariat unscathed.
The battle continued all night but in the morning the Zulus being unable to take Kwa Jimu (Rorkes Drift) and fearing the arrival of Chelmsford’s reinforcements, retreated. Thus a military legend was born. 11 VCs were awarded, including Chard, Bromhead, Dalton, Henry Hook, John Williams, Robert Jones, and William Jones.
Bombardier Lewis developed fever in addition to his leg injury and was taken to the hospital at Pietermaritzberg. Thomas’ brother in law was dead, he was injured and although he was unaware at the time, his father had died six weeks before the battle.
3rd July 1882 at Windsor Great Park, Lewis was accorded the great honour of being personally presented to Queen Victoria. Victoria always retained a soft spot for Rorkes Drift Defenders and it was she who coined the phrase, “The defence of Rorkes Drift is Immortal”.
Circa 1885 Thomas Lewis left the Army. He worked briefly as a Prison Officer, perhaps in Brecon. He then came to London and took up residence in Highgate and became Horse Tram Driver. It is believed he worked for London Street Tramways, based at Junction Road or London Metropolitan Tramways based at Highgate (Holloway Road) Depot. Both these companies were taken over by London County Council Tramways. The first date that Thomas can be placed in this occupation is January 1898, as he is shown as such on his eldest child’s Birth Certificate.
In August 1910 Thomas developed Appendicitis. This was a very serious matter in 1910 and the only “free” hospital with the technology to operate was The London Hospital Whitechapel. Thomas Lewis’ full daily medical notes is still extant for his final 77 days.
After his initial operation (before the days of antibiotics) Pus developed and also gangrene. Thomas’ wound was opened twice more. In addition, various drainage tubes were inserted. Despite this and being bedridden from August, Thomas recovered to the point that he was considered for discharge. (No actual date has been given by Thomas’ Grandson-in-Law) but at 10.22 pm in Richmond Ward, London Hospital, Thomas’ Medical Notes record….”Was practically ready to go out till 2-3 minutes from death, when he was reading a book and seen to drop it and fall dead”. The note was signed by Mr Levy the house surgeon.
Thomas died from a Pulmonary Embolism. There is a final twist, line six and seven of Thomas’ Post Mortem Report records….”Small amount of fibrin along sinus which leads to a pus soaked Gauze Swab. Fibrous adhesions around the swab”! They left a swab inside him after one of his three operations. Although this was not the direct cause of death, it would have delayed his recovery and made the final Pulmonary Embolism more likely.
Thus, after surviving the horrors of Rorkes Drift and Victorian working class society, Thomas’ demise was at least hastened by the negligence of Hugh Rigby, his Surgeon.
He is buried in Highgate Cemetery in a pauper’s grave.
GENERAL SIR LOFTUS OTWAY (1781-1854)
Sir Loftus was under the command of Wellington and took part in the Penninsular War of 1808, fighting Napoleon through Portugal and Spain. His mausoleum is sited to have its own symbolic penninsular with inverted canons as posts for the railing. (See Listed Monuments (W).)