The Victoria Cross is the highest award for bravery in the British Commonwealth.  During the South African War, four members of the Canadian Contingent were awarded the Victoria Cross.  Three of those were for the same action. 

Arthur HL Richardson was born in Southport, England in  1873. In 1894, he  joined the North West Mounted Police in Canada. When the South African War began, Richardson enlisted in Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians). Sergeant Richardson earned the Victoria Cross on 5 July 1900 at Wolve Spruit, near Standarton in South Africa.

Richardson returned to the NWMP . However, in 1907 poor health back to England . He died in Liverpool on 15 December 1932.

Citation
“On the 5th July, 1900, at Wolve Spruit, about 15 miles north of Standerton, a party of Lord Strathcona’s Corps, only 38 in number, came into contact, and was engaged at close quarters, with a force of 80 of the enemy.

When the order to retire had been given, Sergeant Richardson rode back under a very heavy cross-fire and picked up a trooper whose horse had been shot and who was wounded in two places and rode with him out of fire.

At the time when this act of gallantry was performed, Sergeant Richardson was within 300 yards of the enemy, and was himself riding a wounded horse.”

(London Gazette, no.27229, 14 September 1900)

The other three VCs were all awarded to RCD members on the same day for the same action.
On 7 November 1900, at Liliefontein, near the Komati River, a large force of Boer commandos sought to encircle a retreating British column whose rearguard comprised two troops of Royal Canadian Dragoons and two 12-pounder guns of “D” Battery, Royal Canadian Field Artillery.

Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn was born in Toronto, Ontario on 19 November 1867. During the South African War, Cockburn joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons.

At one point at Liliefontein, the remnant of Lieutenant Cockburn’s troop fought against 200 Boers who were intent on capturing “D” Battery’s two guns.

His handful of men successfully held off the Boers, thus allowing the guns to escape, but all became casualties, including Cockburn who was slightly wounded.

For his part in saving the guns, Lieutenant Cockburn received the Victoria Cross.

Cockburn died in Grayburn, Saskatchewan on 12 July 1913.

Edward James Gibson Holland was born in Ottawa, Ontario on 2 February 1878, and joined the 5th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards,  later joining the Royal Canadian Dragoons.

At Liliefontein, Sergeant Holland was in charge of a Colt machine gun firing in defense of the two 12-pounders of D battery being attacked by the Boers. When his machine gun jammed, Holland calmly disconnected the hot barrel, ran and captured a horse, and rode away with the gun under his arm.

For his part in saving the 12-pounders and denying the use of his machine gun to the enemy, Sergeant Holland was awarded the Victoria Cross.

After he returned to Canada Holland became an officer in the 5th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards. During the WW1 he commanded a Motor Machine Gun Battery, serving in France with the Canadian Expeditionary Force for one year.

Holland died on 18 June 1948 in Cobalt, Ontario.

Richard Turner was born on 25 July 1871 in Quebec City. In 1899, he was a second lieutenant in the Militia and joined The Royal Canadian Dragoons for the SA War.

On 7 November 1900, at Liliefontein, Turner was commanding one of the troops of the Dragoons. Already wounded and withdrawing, Turner received word that “D” Battery’s guns were in danger of being captured. He positioned a dozen of his troopers to ambush the attacking enemy. The successful ambush saved the guns and earned the Victoria Cross.

Turner again served overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War, commanding first the 3rd Infantry Brigade and later the 2nd Division.

Eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general, he commanded Canadian forces in Britain, before becoming Chief of the General Staff, Overseas Military Forces of Canada.

Turner died in Quebec City, Quebec, on 19 June 1961.

The RCDs celebrate the South African War in two way. First, the RCD cap badge features a Spingbok (a south African Antelope) as recognition. The legend is a RCD sentry saw a group of springboks running and that alerted him to an incoming attack. Secondly, on or about the 7 of November, RCDs both past and present reunite with ceremonies, parade, and banquet to remember the action that gained them 3 VCs. They are the only unit to win 3 VCs in a single day.