William Martin Cafe

He crossed open ground under fire to rescue the wounded men.

William Martin Cafe was born in London on 23 March 1826. He entered the Bengal Native Infantry in 1842, serving at Maharajpur in the Gwalior campaign and later in the Punjab. During the Indian rebellion he served with the 4th Punjab Infantry.

At Fort Ruiya on 15 April 1858, Cafe helped carry away the body of Lieutenant Willoughby under heavy fire. When Private Spence was badly wounded during the attempt, Cafe returned to rescue him and was himself severely wounded. His conduct earned the Victoria Cross.

Following extended recovery, he held adjutant-general’s staff appointments across northern India. He rose to major general in 1882 and general in 1894 after entering the supernumerary list. He married late in life, in 1901, and died at South Kensington on 6 August 1906. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For bearing away, under a heavy fire, with the assistance of Privates Thompson, Crowie, Spence, and Cook, the body of Lieutenant Willoughby, lying near the ditch of the Fort of Ruhya, and for running to the rescue of Private Spence, who had been severely wounded in the attempt.

The London Gazette of 17 February 1860, Numb. 22357, p. 557