ASSAULT. Valentine Bambrick and Charlotte Johnson, spinster, were charged with violently assaulting Henry Milner Russell, and stealing from his person four medals, value 30s, his property, at Aldershot on the 15th November 1863. Mr. Cole prosecuted.

It appeared that the prosecutor ( Russell ) was invited by Bambrick on the evening in question, whilst passing through the street, to take some ale in a private house at Aldershot, the male prisoner standing with a pot of ale in his hand. Prosecutor offered to stand some drink in return, and he put his hand into his pocket to get the money, when the male prisoner seized him and threw him down, the female assisting in holding the prosecutor, who was a lance-corporal, down. During the affray the soldier lost the four medals from his breast, which the prisoners had torn off, and made their escape with. On the landing two of the medals were picked up by the landlord, and the prisoners were both apprehended the same evening.

Bambrick, in defence, said he was going up to the room of the female prisoner, when he saw another female leaving her room, and she appealed to him for protection. A fight ensued, in which the prosecutor lost his medals. He ( Bambrick ) urged that if his better feelings would not have prevented him committing such a paltry robbery, his interest would, for he was in possession of a medal more prized by the British soldier than all those possessed by the prosecutor - the Victoria medal, which conferred £10 annually upon him, and also a pension, all of which he would lose if convicted. He urged that it would have been much easier for him to have dashed the beer he had in his hand in the prosecutor's face whilst in the street if he wanted to rob him of his medals, and averred that the prosecutor had generally stated in his evidence that which was false.

The proof of the prisoner's guilt, however, was considered to be conclusive by the jury, who immediately found them both guilty of the charge. On hearing the verdict Bambrick immediately change his tone, spoke most contemptuously of the Court, and said he did not care what his sentence should be, and threatened that he would be revenged on Henry Russell. His lordship said it was most sad to see a soldier in the position of the prisoner - one holding so high a mark of honour conferred upon him by his country, and that he should take time to consider his verdict. The prisoners were subsequently sentenced - Bambrick to three years penal servitude, and Charlotte Johnson to twelve months imprisonment.

The influence of King George V came into play over the forfeiture of the Victoria Cross from eight men who had been convicted of theft, bigamy and desertion. In 1920 the King wrote a letter to his private secretary, Lord Stamfordham, in which he wrote "The King feels so strongly that, no matter the crime committed by anyone on whom the VC has been conferred, the decoration should not be forfeited. Even were a VC to be sentenced to be hanged for murder, he should be allowed to wear the VC on the scaffold". The names of all eight men, including Valentine Bambrick, were eventually added to the Register of Victoria Cross recipients.