Robert Shields

Robert Shields
Depiction of the Siege of Sebastopol
Born	1827 Cardiff, Wales
Died	23 December 1864 (aged 37) Bombay, British India
Buried	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. He was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1827 and died in Bombay, India, in 1864.

On the morning of the 8th September 1856, during the Crimean War Corporal Robert Shields volunteered to go along with Assistant Surgeon William Henry Thomas Sylvester in order to rescue an injured officer who had been incapacitated by a shot not far from their position outside the city of Sevastopol’s walls during the siege of the city.

The wounded officer was one Lieutenant Dyneley, the Adjutant of Shields’ own unit in the The Royal Welch Fusiliers regiment. He had been shot and wounded near the Redan, a fort built close to Sevastopol, at this time it had been hastily occupied by more than a dozen Russian soldiers. It was an extremely dangerous and foolhardy thing to venture anywhere close to the Redan, as they would be well within range of all manner of enemy guns. And yet, Sylvester and Shields decided to at least attempt to save the wounded man, for his life would depend on it.

Together, they reached the Lieutenant, however they quickly noticed that his wounds were far more serious than either one of them had anticipated. Sylvester dressed Dyneley’s wounds as well as he was able while under heavy fire from the Redan and returned to the cover of their trenches, bringing with them the injured man. Unfortunately Dyneley later died from his wounds.

For their bravery, both men were awarded the Victoria cross. Subsequently going on parade for the very first presentation of the new medal. Just 60 other men were present at Hyde park on 26 June. The recipients were made up of both the army and the navy, and they were presented with the award by Queen Victoria herself.