William Jones

At Rorke's Drift, he helped carry patients out of the fires.

William Jones was born in Bristol on 16 August 1839 and worked as a boot closer before attesting for the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot, at Birmingham on 21 December 1858. He served in Mauritius, India and Burma. Promoted corporal in 1859, he returned to private in 1860. His battalion reached South Africa in March 1878 and took part in the Cape Frontier operations. Jones was documented at the front, although his part in individual 1878 actions remains uncertain.

On 22–23 January 1879, Private Jones of B Company defended the hospital at Rorke's Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War. Alongside Private Robert Jones, a different soldier who also received the Victoria Cross, he resisted attackers as patients were removed. Six of the seven patients in their care escaped; Sergeant Maxfield was killed. The London Gazette announced Jones's Victoria Cross on 2 May 1879 (Issue 24717, Supplement, p. 3178).

Chronic rheumatism brought Jones home for treatment. Queen Victoria invested him with the VC at Windsor Castle on 13 January 1880, and he was discharged as medically unfit on 2 February. He later worked and performed in Britain, including an appearance with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. He died in Manchester on 15 April 1913 and was buried in Philips Park Cemetery.