Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Boer War Victoria Cross group to Major Alexis Charles Doxat, King's Royal Rifle Corps, late Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry

VICTORIA CROSS, reverse of suspension bar engraved (Lieut. A.C. Doxat, 3rd Bn. Imperial Yeomanry), reverse centre of the cross dated '20th Octr. 1900'; QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, S.A. 1901, (Lieut, V.C., 11/Co. 3/Imp. Yeo.); 1914-15 STAR (Capt., V.C., K.R. Rif. C.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (Capt., V.C.) naming engraved on these two; CORONATION 1937, unnamed and mounted on brooch as issued, the first six mounted 'cavalry style' as worn,generally good very fine (6)

Victoria Cross, London Gazette, 15th January, 1901: ‘On the 20th October, 1900, near Zeerust, Lieutenant Doxat proceeded with a party of Mounted Infantry to reconnoitre a position held by 100 Boers on a ridge of Kopjes. When within 300 yards of the position, the enemy opened a heavy fire on Lieutenant Doxat's party, which retired, leaving one of their number who had lost his horse. Lieutenant Doxat, seeing the dangerous position in which the man was placed, galloped back under a heavy fire, and brought him on his horse to a place of safety.’

Major Alexis Charles Doxat was born at Surbiton, Surrey, on 9th April, 1867 and educated at Norwich Grammar School and Philberd's, Maidenhead. He was a Captain in the Dalston Militia under Colonel Somerset, C.B., and Lieut-Colonel Gowles, M.P., and successfully passed the examinations of the Auxiliary School of Instruction and the Hythe Musketry School. On the outbreak of the Boer War he left the Stock Exchange, of which he was a member, and proceeded to South Africa with Lord Scarborough's detachment where he served with the 11th (Yorkshire) Company, Imperial Yeomanry. He took part in the advance of Lord Methuen's force from Boshof in May 1900, and in September 1900 he joined General Douglas' column as his personal A.D.C., acting chiefly as Reconnaissance Officer. The Victoria Cross was personally presented to Lieutenant Doxat by His Majesty King Edward VII at Marlborough House on 17th December, 1901 and he was present at the first V.C. Garden Party given by H.M. King George V on 26th June, 1920 and at the Ceremony at the Cenotaph and the Burial of the Unknown Warrior 11th November, 1920. Major Doxat died in Cambridge, 29th November, 1942, aged 75 years. Lieutenant Doxat was the only member of the Imperial Yeomanry to win the Victoria Cross in the Boer War.