William John Vousden

William John Vousden VC CB (20 September, 1848 - 12 November, 1902) was a Scottish 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.

Vousden was born in Perth, Scotland and trained at Sandhurst. He was 34 years old, and a captain in the 5th Punjab Cavalry, Bengal Staff Corps, and British Indian Army during the Second Afghan War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 14 December 1879 on the Koh Asmai Heights, near Kabul, Afghanistan, Captain Vousden charged with a small party into the centre of the line of the retreating Kohistani Force, by whom they were greatly outnumbered. After rapidly charging through and through the enemy backwards and forwards several times, Captain Vousden and his party swept off round the opposite side of the village and joined the rest of the troops.

He later achieved the rank of major general and served as Inspector General of Cavalry in India.

He died of dysentery at the age of 54.

References

*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)