Local resident and historian Tony Lindsay was among the first to sign up the the borough's 'Adopt a Grave' scheme taking the lead in ensuring the five Victoria Cross holders graves in the Richmond & East Sheen Cemeteries gained attention. Funds were raised from military organisations and charities, and after securing match funding from the Council, the money was spent on cleaning, restoring and securing the headstones and ornate memorials that mark the VC graves.

The family of General Sir Harry North Dalrymple Prendergast VC, GCB, Madras Engineers, would like to make it clear that they provided the funds for the restoration of General Prendergast's grave in Richmond Cemetery.

The 'Adopt a Grave' scheme has proved extremely popular with local people, schools, and other oganisations, including the Scouts. Appeals have now gone out for more people to join the scheme and learn about the notable figures who lie buried in Richmond upon Thames Council's various cemeteries.

( The sixth Victoria Cross holder's grave in Richmond Cemetery is that of Corporal Frederick Edwards, 12th Bn, Middlesex Regiment, who earned his VC at the Somme on 26 September 1916. The grave is in the Star and Garter plot and therefore the maintenance of the headstone is believed to be responsibility of the Star and Garter Home. )

[ London Gazette, 17 November 1879 ], Kam Dakka, Afghan War, 21 April 1879, Captain O'Moore Creagh, Mharwara Battalion, Indian Army

On the 21st April Captain Creagh was detached from Dakka with two Companies of his Battalion to protect the village of Kam Dakka on the Cabul River, against a threatened incursion of the Mohmunds, and reached that place the same night. On the following morning the detachment, 150 men, was attacked by the Mohmunds in overwhelming numbers, about 1,500; and the inhabitants of Kam Dakka having themselves taken part with the enemy. Captain Creagh found himself under the necessity of retiring from the village. He took up a position in a cemetery not far off, which he made as defensible as circumstances would admit of, and this position he held against all the efforts of the enemy, repeatedly repulsing them with the bayonet until three o’clock in the afternoon, when he was relieved by a detachment sent for the purpose from Dakka. The enemy were then finally repulsed, and being charged by a troop of the 10th Bengal Lancers, under the command of Captain D M Strong, were routed and broken, and great numbers of them driven into the river. The Commander-in-Chief in India has expressed his opinion that but for the coolness, determination and gallantry of the highest order, and the admirable conduct which Captain Creagh displayed on this occasion the detachment under his command would, in all probability, have been cut off and destroyed.

[ London Gazette, 18 October 1901 ], Van Wyk's Viel, 2nd Boer War, 21 August 1900, Sergeant Harry Hampton, King's ( Liverpool ) Regiment

On the 21st August 1901, at Van Wyk’s Vlei, Sergeant Hampton, who was in command of a small party of Mounted Infantry, held an important position for some time against heavy odds, and when compelled to retire saw all his men into safety, and then, although he had himself been wounded in the head, supported Lance-Corporal Walsh, who was unable to walk, until the latter was again hit and apparently killed, Sergeant Hampton himself being again wounded a short time after.

[ London Gazette, 18 June 1858 ], Relief of Lucknow, Indian Mutiny, 25 September 1857, Captain William Olpherts, Bengal Artillery, Indian Army

For highly distinguished conduct on the 25th September 1857, when the troops penetrated into the city of Lucknow, in having charged on horseback, with Her Majesty’s 90th Regiment, when gallantly headed by Colonel Campbell, it captured two guns in the face of a heavy fire of grape, and afterwards returned, under a severe fire of musketry, to bring up limbers and horses to carry off the captured ordnance, which he accomplished. ( Extract from Field Force Orders of the late Major-General Havelock dated 17th October 1857 )

[ London Gazette, 21 October 1859 ], Mundisore, Indian Mutiny, 21 November 1857, Lieutenant Harry Prendergast, Madras Engineers, Indian Army

Major-General Sir Hugh Rose, in forwarding his recommendation of this Officer, states: - Lieutenant Prendergast, Madras Engineers, was specially mentioned by Brigadier, now Sir Charles Stuart, for the gallant act at Mundisore, when he was severely wounded; secondly, he was “specially mentioned” by me when acting voluntarily as my Aide-de-Camp in the Action before besieging Ratgurh, on the Beena river, for gallant conduct. His horse was killed on that occasion. Thirdly, at the Action of “the Betwa” he again voluntarily acted as my Aide-de-Camp, and distinguished himself by his bravery in the charge, which I made with Captain Need’s troop, Her Majesty’s 14th Light Dragoons, against the left of the so-called Peishwa’s Army, under Tantia Topee. He was severely wounded on that occasion.

[ London Gazette, 2 February 1900 ], Battle of Colenso, 2nd Boer War, 15 December 1899, Captain Hamilton Reed, Royal Field Artillery

Battle of Colenso: Captain Reed, who had heard of the difficulty, shortly afterwards brought down three teams from his battery to see if he could be of any use. He was wounded, as were five of the thirteen men who rode with him, one was killed; and thirteen out of twenty-one horses were killed before he got half-way to the guns, and he was obliged to retire.