Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill Venture capital was an Irish 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.
Background
Born in Drumcondra, Dublin, Coghill was the eldest son of Sir John Joscelyn Coghill (1826–1905), 4th Baronet, Justice of the Peace, Doctor of Laws, of Drumcondra, Company Dublin (see Coghill baronets), and his wife, the Honorary Katherine Frances Plunket, daughter of John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket.
Education
Coghill was educated at Haileybury College from 1865-1869 In 1876 he set sail with the 24th Regiment of Foot to Cape.
Career
He was a nephew of David Plunket, 1st Baron Rathmore and William Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket. Nevill Coghill was a professor at Oxford University. Coghill was twenty-five years old and a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later the South Wales Borderers), British Army, during the Zulu War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On 22 January 1879, after the disaster of the Battle of Isandhlwana, South Africa, Lieutenant Coghill joined another officer (Teignmouth Melvill) who was trying to save the Queen"s Colour of the Regiment.
Cogill"s horse was shot later.
The two men were eventually overtaken by the enemy and, following a short but gallant struggle, both were killed. Coghill and Melvill were both buried at Fugitive"s Drift.
Coghill and Melvill were amongst the first soldiers to receive the Venture capital posthumously in 1907. Initially the London Gazette mentioned that had they survived they would have been awarded the Venture capital. A few months after the, a French battle artist, Alphonse de Neuville painted Coghill and Mevill"s actions when they were pursued by Zulu warriors.
Coghill was portrayed by Christopher Cazenove in the 1979 film Zulu Dawn as a polite and humorous officer
In the film, he is friends with Melvill. Their heroic actions when they crossed the Buffalo River in a desperate attempt to return the Queen"s Colours back to Natal was depicted in the film. Coghill"s great-great-great grand-niece, Jane Mann studied History at Oxford University.
In the end the Colours, which Coghill and Mevill tried to save were recovered and are currently on display at Brecon Cathedral in remembrance of their valour as well as other soldiers killed during the battle.
He is now commemorated by a leadership programme named in his honour at Haileybury College for pupils in Removes.