The Book of the V.C.: A record of the deeds of heroism for which the Victoria Cross has been bestowed, from its institution in 1857 to the present timeHaydon, A. L. (Arthur Lincoln)
History
The Book of the V.C.: A record of the deeds of heroism for which the Victoria Cross has been bestowed, from its institution in 1857 to the present time
Haydon, A. L. (Arthur Lincoln)
Great Britain -- History, Military; Victoria Cross
With the Indian troops that went into action against the Karens near
Lwekaw on New Year’s Day, in 1889, was Surgeon (now Lieutenant-Colonel)
John Crimmin, of the Bombay Medical Service. He soon had an opportunity
for putting his skill to some use, for several of the Bombay infantrymen
were bowled over by the dacoits. Regardless of his own danger, the
surgeon proceeded to kneel by the fallen men’s sides and dress their
wounds.
In the bamboo clumps very near to him the Karens were being chased and
cut down by the troops, but now and then a red-turbaned, red-robed figure
would peep out of a patch and take a flying shot at the doctor. Luckily
for him and his patients, they were poor marksmen.
Having joined the firing line again, Crimmin made himself useful with his
revolver. Not for long, however; the Red Karens are savage fighters, and
our sepoys had to pay for their victory dearly. The surgeon was very soon
busy once more, bandaging shot wounds and knife cuts.
A mounted sepoy had been told off to stand by him, but he was slight
protection. At one time the surgeon was set upon by nearly a dozen of
the enemy, who leapt out of the bamboos upon his right with wild yells.
Dropping his lint and bandages, Crimmin whipped out his sword, ran the
first man through, and was hard at work with another while the sepoy
dropped a third. This warm reception disheartened the Karens, and with a
parting shot or two they disappeared as quickly as they came. Then the
surgeon coolly went on with his work, the wounded men murmuring many a
“God bless you, doctor sahib,” as he bent over them.
The winter of 1891 is memorable for the brilliant little Hunza-Nagar
campaign, which was brought about by Russian intrigues with the rulers of
some petty states on the northern frontier of Cashmere. In the storming
of the mountain strongholds in Hunza and Nagar three V.C.’s were won, by
Lieutenant Guy Boisragon, Lieutenant John Manners Smith, and Captain
Fenton John Aylmer, while many more were earned.
The most striking event in Indian history of that year, however, was
the revolt in Manipur, where the British Resident, Mr. Frank St. Clair
Grimwood, and other Europeans in the capital were brutally murdered.
In connection with this tragedy a young officer attached to the 2nd
Burmah Battalion of the Punjab Infantry, Lieutenant Charles J. W. Grant,
performed a dashing deed which made him talked of far and wide as “the
hero of Manipur,” and added his name to the list of those decorated “for
Valour.”
The state of Manipur lies up among the hills between India and Burma. It
is semi-independent, like many of its neighbours, the Maharajah being
subjected to the control of a British Resident. In 1890 a family quarrel
in the Maharajah’s own household led to his deposition, his brother the
Senaputty (commander-in-chief of the army) placing another brother on the
throne as Regent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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