Randolph Nesbitt

Randolph Nesbitt
Born	20 September 1867
Died	23 July 1956 (aged 88) Cape Town, South Africa
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Rhodesian Forces
Rank	Major
Unit	Mashonaland Mounted Police
Battles/wars	Mashona Rebellion
Awards	Victoria Cross

Randolph Cosby Nesbitt VC (20 September 1867 – 23 July 1956) was a South African-born Rhodesian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest British and Commonwealth award.

Details

Nesbitt was born at Queenstown, Cape Colony, South Africa on 28 September 1867 was 28 years old and a Captain in the Mashonaland Mounted Police, Rhodesian 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. Blakiston, Nesbitt, Routledge and Pascoe were the four main leaders and instigators of the rescue. 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.^[1]

In 1909, Nesbitt became a Native Commissioner for the British South Africa Police (a paramilitary Rhodesian force). He retired in 1928 after 40 years’ service with the Rhodesian police and civil service and returned to South Africa on account of his wife’s health. Nesbitt died in South Africa on 23 July 1956. His remains were cremated at Cape Town.^[2]

The Medal

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.

References

1. The London Gazette: no. 26850. p. 2535. 7 May 1897. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
2. Ian Uys. For valour: the history of Southern Africa's Victoria Cross heroes, 1973, ISBN 0 620 00822 9, Chapter 12, pp 107-117