East Africa - Melvillle and Coghill - Soldiers on Horseback Plunging into Enemy. Part of Box 249 Boswell Collection - East Coast of Africa. On 22 January 1879 after the disaster of the Battle of Isandhlwana, South Africa, Lieutenant Melvill made gallant efforts to save the Queen's Colour of his Regiment. He and Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill were pursued by Zulu warriors and after experiencing great difficulty in crossing the swollen Buffalo River, during which time the Colour was lost and carried downstream, the two men were overtaken by the enemy and following a short but gallant struggle both were killed. Melvill and Coghill were amongst the first soldiers to receive the VC posthumously in 1907.