THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO MAJOR CHARLES HERBERT MULLINS, IMPERIAL LIGHT HORSE ( NATAL ), HAS BEEN LOANED TO THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM IN LONDON. |
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7 March 2006 |
The Victoria Cross awarded to Major Charles Mullins, Imperial Light Horse ( Natal ), South African Forces, has been loaned by a member of the immediate family to the Imperial War Museum, London.
Medal entitlement of Major Charles Herbert Mullins - Imperial Light Horse ( Natal ), South African Forces
Charles Mullins' Victoria Cross group, comprising Companion to the Order of St Michael & St George ( CMG ), Queen's South Africa Medal and King's South Africa Medal, were left to St Andrew's College, Grahamstown, upon the dealth in 1963 of Charles Mullins' eldest son, who had inherited the group. Much later a family member travelled to South Africa to visit the Mullins clan in Grahamstown and took time out to view the medals in St Andrew's College. To his consternation they were not on display and were found to be missing. A search of the college discovered the Victoria Cross, which fortunately had not been with the original display, but not the CMG, QSA and KSA, which are still missing. As a consequence, in 1998, the original Victoria Cross was purchased from St Andrew's College by Mrs Mary Mullins, the daughter-in-law of Charles Mullins VC, and was placed into the guardianship of Charles Mullins' only grandson. At the same time a perpetual trust to support the curator of medals at the Albany Museum in Grahamstown was set up so that the Victoria Cross might be displayed. This arrangement continued until the death of Mary Mullins, at the grand old age of 98, in December 2004. In January 2005 a decision was made by Charles Mullins' grandson to loan the Victoria Cross to the Imperial War Museum in London, where it will be on display with the museum's other VC collection. For the award of the Victoria Cross [ London Gazette, 12 February 1901 ], Elandslaagte, 2nd Boer War, South Africa, 21 October 1899, Captain Robert Johnston & Captain Charles Herbert Mullins, Imperial Light Horse ( Natal ), South Afican Forces.
On the 21st October 1899, at Elandslaagte, at a most critical moment, the advance being momentarily checked by a very severe fire at point blank range, these two Officers very gallantry rushed forward under this heavy fire and rallied the men, thus enabling the flanking movement, which decided the day to be carried out. On this occasion Captain Mullins was wounded.
Charles Mullins and Robert Johnston were invested with their Victoria Crosses by King Edward VII at St James' Palace on the 25th July 1901.
Charles Mullins died in Johannesburg on 24 May 1916, aged 46, having not fully recovered from his wounds. He was buried in his home town of Grahamstown, East Cape, in the town's Old Cemetery. The grave and headstone are still being maintained by the Mullins family.
Charles Mullins' fellow officer, Captain Robert Johnston, also awarded the Victoria Cross for the same action, continued his service career into the First World War. He died in Kilkenny, Ireland, on the 24th March 1950, aged 78, and is buried in St Mary's Churchyard, Inistiogne, Co Kilkenny.
Medal entitlement of Major Robert Johnston - Imperial Light Horse ( Natal ), South African Forces
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Iain Stewart, 7 March 2006