James Mouat

Surgeon General Sir James Mouat (14 April 1815 – 4 January 1899) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Mouat was born in Chatham, Kent on 14 Apr 1815, the son of Surgeon James Mouat, 25th Dragoons. After medical training at University College Hospital London, Mouat was appointed Assistant Surgeon of the 44th Regimentin 1838. In 1854 he became Surgeon of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, moving to the Crimea the same year on the outbreak of the Crimean War.

Details Mouat was 39 years old, and a Surgeon in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, British Army, during the Crimean War when the following deed took place on 26 October 1854 in the Crimea, at Balaklava, for which he was awarded the VC.

Surgeon Mouat went with Corporal Charles Wooden to the assistance of an officer who was lying seriously wounded in an exposed position, after the retreat of the Light Cavalry. He dressed the officer's wounds under heavy fire from the enemy, and by stopping a severe haemorrhage, helped to save his life.

His citation reads:

Later career Mouat returned home in 1856 before going to New Zealand in 1860 as the Army Principal Medical Officer, serving in the Maori Wars between 1860-61 and 1863-65. In spite of this, the New Zealand government voted Mouat "special thanks for his valuable services to the Colony".