Allan Wilson (Major)

Allan Wilson
Born	1856 Glen Urquhart, Ross-shire, Scotland
Died	4 December 1893 (aged 36–37) Shangani River, Rhodesia; buried at Matopo Hills, Rhodesia (both today in Zimbabwe)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1878–1893
Rank	Major
Commands held	Victoria Column; Shangani Patrol
Battles/wars	First Matabele War: – Shangani Patrol

Allan Wilson (1856 – 4 December 1893), was an officer in the Victoria Volunteers. He is best known for his leadership of the Shangani Patrol in the First Matabele War. His death fighting overwhelming odds made him a national hero in Britain and Rhodesia.

Wilson was born in Scotland. Upon completion of his apprenticeship at a Fochabers bank, he went to the Cape Colony and joined the Cape Mounted Rifles. He fought in the Zulu War and the First Boer War and was promoted to Sergeant. After taking his discharge he became a trader and gold prospector, and he earned a commission in the Basuto Police. Later he joined the Bechuanaland Exploration Company as Chief Inspector and was sent as their representative to Fort Victoria (now Masvingo) in Matabeleland, serving as the senior officer in the Victoria Volunteers, reaching the rank of major.

When the First Matabele War broke out, Wilson was given command of the Victoria Column and appointed the rank of major. He led the Shangani Patrol in search of King Lobengula and, on 4 December 1893, he and 33 of his men were cut off from the main column and killed by the Ndebele warriors. In desperation and only hours before his defeat, Wilson sent Frederick Russell Burnham and two other scouts to seek reinforcements from the main column commanded by Major Patrick Forbes. The battle raging there was just as intense and there was no hope of anyone reaching Wilson in time. The incident achieved a lasting, prominent place in Rhodesian colonial history and is considered to be roughly the British equivalent to Custer's Last Stand.

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