Robert Shields

Robert Shields
1827 – 23 December 1864
Depiction of the Siege of Sebastopol
Place of birth	Cardiff, Wales
Place of death	Bombay, British India
Resting place	St. Thomas Cathedral, Mumbai
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Corporal
Unit	23rd Regiment of Foot
Battles/wars	Crimean War
Awards	Victoria Cross

Robert Shields VC (1827 – 23 December 1864) was a Welsh 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. He was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1827 and died in Bombay, India, in 1864.

Details

Shields was approximately 28 years old and a Corporal in the 23rd Regiment (later the Royal Welch Fusiliers) of the British Army during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:

On 8 September 1855 at Sebastopol, Crimea, near the Redan, Corporal Shields volunteered to go out with an assistant surgeon (William Henry Thomas Sylvester) to an exposed and dangerous part of the front, to bring in an officer who was wounded, and was afterwards found to be mortally so.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)