Campbell Mellis Douglas
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Campbell Mellis Douglas VC |
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| Born | 5 August 1840 Quebec City, Canada |
| Died | 31 December 1909 (aged 69) Wells, Somerset, United Kingdom |
| Allegiance |
 Canada
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| Service/branch |
 British Army
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| Years of service | 1862 - 1882 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot |
| Battles/wars | Andaman Islands Expedition |
| Awards |
_ribbon.png){kind=small} Victoria Cross
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Campbell Mellis Douglas VC (5 August 1840 in Quebec City – 31 December 1909), was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. The awarding of the VC to Douglas was one of the few (only six in number) instances of the VC being awarded for actions taken not in the face of the enemy. (Another instance with a Canadian connection was the awarding of the VC to Timothy O'Hea (a Irishman serving in the British army) for actions taken at Danville, Quebec in 1866 relating to Canada's defence against Fenian raids.)
Douglas joined the British Army in 1862.
Campbell Mellis Douglas graduated from the University of Edinburgh Medical School with an MD degree in 1861. He was 26 years old, and an assistant surgeon in the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later The South Wales Borderers), British Army during the Andaman Islands Expedition when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
VC not awarded for bravery in action against the enemy, but for bravery at sea in saving life in storm off Andaman Islands. On 7 May 1867 at the island of Little Andaman, eastern India, in the Bay of Bengal, Assistant Surgeon Douglas and four Privates (David Bell, James Cooper, William Griffiths and Thomas Murphy) of the 2/24th Regiment risked their lives in manning a boat and proceeding through dangerous surf to rescue some of their comrades who had been sent to the island to find out the fate of the commander and seven of the crew, who had landed from the ship Assam Valley and were feared murdered by the cannibalistic islanders.
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