Cornelius Coughlan
Cornelius Coughlan | |
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Indian Mutiny | |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Cornelius Coughlan VC (27 June 1828 – 14 February 1915) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Details
Coughlan was 28 years old, and a
For gallantly venturing, under a heavy fire, with three others, into a Serai occupied by the Enemy in great numbers, and removing Private Corbett, 75th Regiment, who lay severely wounded. Also for cheering and encouraging a party which hesitated to charge down a lane in Subzee Mundee, at Delhi, lined on each side with huts, and raked by a cross fire; then entering with the said party into an enclosure filled with the Enemy, and destroying every man. For having also, on the same occasion, returned under a cross fire to collect dhoolies, and carry off the wounded ; a service which was successfully performed, and for which this man obtained great praise from the Officers of his Regiment.
Queen Victoria wrote a personal letter to Coughlan after hearing about his acts of bravery.[citation needed]
Later life
Coughlan returned from India to serve for two decades in the
He died in Westport, County Mayo on 14 February 1915 and is buried locally in Aughavale Cemetery near Murrisk. His grave was unmarked until 2004, when a headstone was erected.[2]
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the
References
- ^ "No. 22680". The London Gazette. 11 November 1862. p. 5346.
- ^ "Ceremony pays tribute to bravery of soldier". Irish Examiner. 7 August 2004.
Further reading
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
- Clarke, Brian D. H. (1986). "A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men". The Irish Sword. XVI (64): 185–287.
- Ireland's VCs(Dept of Economic Development, 1995)
- Monuments to Courage(David Harvey, 1999)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
- "Sgt. Major Cornelius Coughlan VC", James Scannell, in Journal of the Genealogical Society of Ireland, vol. 5 no. 4, winter 2004, pp. 254–256.
External links
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