Victoria Cross group awarded to Captain Hugh Shaw, 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot

Hugh Shaw was born in India on 4 February 1839 and was the son of James Shaw, an Inspector General of Hospitals in Madras. The younger Shaw was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions at Nukumaru in New Zealand on 24 January 1865. According to 'The London Gazette' of 28 November 1865:

'For his gallant conduct at the skirmish near Nukumaru, in New Zealand, on the 24th of January last, in proceeding, under a heavy fire, with four Privates of the Regiment, who volunteered to accompany, him, to within 30 yards of the bush occupied by the Rebels, in order to carry off a comrade who was badly wounded. On the afternoon of that day, Captain Shaw was ordered to occupy a position about half a mile from the Camp. He advanced in skirmishing order, and, when about 30-yards from the bush, he deemed it prudent to retire to a palisade about 60 yards from the bush, as two of his party had been wounded. Finding that one of them was unable to move, he called for volunteers to advance to the front to carry the man to the rear, and the four Privates referred to accompanied him, under a heavy fire, to the place where the wounded man was lying, and they succeeded in bringing him to the rear.'

Shaw later reached the rank of major-general. He died at Southsea in Hampshire on 25 August 1904. During his career he also received the Order of the Bath, Badge of a Companion, the New Zealand Medal 1845-66, Second Afghan War Medal 1878-80, the Egyptian Medal 1882-89 and the Khedive's Egyptian Star 1882-91.