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Ensign |
Ensign Down was born at Fulham, London, England, on 2 March 1842, and was 21 years old, and an Ensign in the 57th Regiment (later The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)), British Army, during the Waikato-Hauhau Maori War, New Zealand, when the action for which he was awarded The Victoria Cross took place.
"On 2 October 1863 at Poutoko, New Zealand, Ensign Down and a drummer (Dudley Stagpoole) volunteered to rescue a wounded comrade from the rebel natives. They succeeded in bringing in this wounded man who was lying about 50 yards from the bush, although the enemy kept up a very heavy fire at short range and from fallen logs close at hand."
Ensign Down was killed in action at Otahuhu, New Zealand, on 28 April 1866. He is buried at the Otahuhu (Holy Trinity) Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand.
His Victoria Cross is not publicly held.
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