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
Both the officers had had their fill of fighting for the day, and
fortunately, perhaps, for them, no more rebels appeared to molest them
on their return to the camp. The lieutenant, I may note in passing,
is now the well-known Lieut.-General Sir J. Hills-Johnes, G.C.B.; his
fellow-hero of the fight died some years ago, a Major-General and a K.C.B.
Another veteran of the Indian Mutiny still alive, who also won his V.C.
at Delhi, is Colonel Thomas Cadell. A lieutenant in the Bengal European
Fusiliers at the time, Cadell figured in a hot affray between a picket
and an overwhelmingly large body of rebels. In the face of a very severe
fire he gallantly went to the aid of a wounded bugler of his own regiment
and brought him safely in. On the same day, hearing that another wounded
man had been left behind, he made a dash into the open, accompanied by
three men of his regiment, and succeeded in making a second rescue.
The heroes of Delhi are so many that it is difficult to choose among
them. Place must be found, however, for brief mention of the dashing
exploit of Colour-Sergeant Stephen Garvin of the 60th Rifles. The Rifles,
by the way, now the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, have the goodly number of
thirteen V.C.’s to their credit.
In June 1857 the British army on the Ridge was greatly harassed by
rebel sharpshooters who took up their position in a building known as
the “Sammy House.” It was essential that this hornet’s nest should
be destroyed, and volunteers were called for. For this service
Colour-Sergeant Garvin promptly stepped forward and, with a small party
of daring spirits, set out on what looked to most like a forlorn hope.
What the rebels thought of this impudent attempt to oust them from
their stronghold we cannot tell, for but one or two of them escaped to
the city with their lives. Such an onslaught as they received at the
“Sammy House,” when Garvin and his valiant dozen rushed the place, quite
surpassed anything in their experience. The colour-sergeant is described
as hewing and hacking like a paladin of romance, and for his bravery and
the example he set to his followers he well deserved the Cross that later
adorned his breast.
At Bulandshahr, a little to the south of Delhi, in September of the same
year, there was a gallant action fought by a body of the Bengal Horse
Artillery, which resulted in no fewer than seven V.C.’s being awarded;
but there is, I think, no more heroic act recorded in the annals of this
famous corps than that of brave Gunner Connolly at Jhelum, two months
previously.
While working his gun early in the action he was wounded in the left
thigh, but he said nothing about his wound, mounting his horse in the
team when the battery limbered up to another position. After some hours’
hot work at this new post, Connolly was again hit, and so badly that his
superior officer ordered him to the rear.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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