Stagpoole was about 25 years old , and a Drummer in the 57th Regiment of Foot ( later The Middlesex Regiment ( Duke of Cambridge 's Own ) , during the Second Taranaki War campaign of the New Zealand Wars when the following deed took place on 2 October 1863 at Allan 's Hill near Poutoko in Taranaki , for which he and Ensign John Thornton Down were awarded the VC , and a separate incident at Kaipakopako for which he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal :