Coghill was twenty-five years old and a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later the South Wales Borderers), British Army, during the Zulu War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 22 January 1879, after the disaster of the Battle of Isandhlwana, South Africa, Lieutenant Coghill joined another officer (Teignmouth Melvill)[REF] who was trying to save the Queen's Colour of the Regiment.