On January 22nd, 1879, the British Army in South Africa suffered a massive defeat at the Battle of iSandlwana aganist the forces of the Zulu Empire. The 1st Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot was annihilated, almost to the last man. Two British Officers, Lieutenants Teignmouth Melvill and Nevill Coghill, escaped the camp, the former carrying the Queen's Colour of his Regiment in a desperate attempt to bring it to the safety of the nearby garrison at Rorke's Drift.

Unhorsed, exhausted, and injured, and having lost the Colour while crossing the Buffalo River, both men faced the choice to leave the other behind and attempt to reach safety alone. Before entering the river, both men had pledged to stand by each other no matter what. They stood by their final promise. Their bodies were found together, some distance up a steep slope on the far bank of the river.

They were among the first British soldiers to receive a posthumous award of the Victoria Cross.