Charles John Melliss

He charged into dense bush and fought on despite his wounds.

Major-General Sir Charles John Melliss was one of the most remarkable British Indian Army officers of his generation, a Victoria Cross recipient whose military career stretched from Africa and India's North-West Frontier to the battlefields of Mesopotamia.

Born on 12 September 1862 at Mhow, India, Charles John Melliss entered the East Yorkshire Regiment in 1882 and transferred to the Indian Army in 1884. He first saw action in East Africa during the M'Wele campaign of 1895–96 and subsequently fought on the North-West Frontier during the Kurram Valley and Tirah operations. His early service also earned him the Second Class Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar, for which royal permission to accept and wear the insignia was announced in 1897.

His defining moment came at Obassa on 30 September 1900 during the Ashanti War. Seeing a large enemy force preparing to resist, Melliss gathered available soldiers and personally led them into dense bush. He fought at close quarters, received a serious gunshot wound to the foot and helped break the defenders' resistance. For this extraordinary act, together with earlier gallantry during the campaign, he received the Victoria Cross, announced in the London Gazette on 15 January 1901.

Melliss continued his service in East Africa and Somaliland before commanding the 53rd Sikhs on India's North-West Frontier. His leadership earned further distinction, and he rose to Major-General in 1912.

During the First World War, Melliss commanded troops in Mesopotamia, playing an important role in the British victory at Shaiba in April 1915. He subsequently participated in the operations at Nasiriyah and commanded a flanking column at Ctesiphon. His distinguished service brought appointment as Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1915, while his wartime record included multiple Mentions in Despatches.

When Kut surrendered to Ottoman forces in April 1916, Melliss became a prisoner of war. During his captivity, he worked to assist exhausted and starving British and Indian prisoners, often challenging the authorities over their treatment. The courage and humanity he displayed in captivity became as important a part of his legacy as his actions under fire.

Following his repatriation in 1918, Melliss was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George. His wartime service was also recognised with the French Croix de Guerre. Outside battle, he had displayed comparable personal bravery in 1899 when he jumped into shark-infested waters to rescue a sailor, earning the Bronze Medal of the Royal Humane Society.

Melliss retired from the Indian Army in 1920 and remained associated with the 53rd Sikhs as honorary Colonel until 1934. He died on 6 June 1936. His legacy is preserved not only through his Victoria Cross and distinguished military career, but also through the personal letters and testimony documenting his concern for soldiers under his command and prisoners who depended on his help.

Official Victoria Cross citation:

On the 30th September, 1900, at Obassa, Major Melliss, seeing that the enemy were very numerous, and intended to make a firm stand, hastily collected all stray men and any he could get together, and charged at their head, into the dense bush where the enemy were thick. His action carried all along with him; but the enemy were determined to have a hand-to-hand fight. One fired at Major Melliss, who put his sword through the man, and they rolled over together. Another Ashanti shot him through the foot, the wound paralysing the limb. His wild rush had, however, caused a regular panic among the enemy, who were at the same time charged by the Sikhs, and killed in numbers. Major Melliss also behaved with great gallantry on three previous occasions.