John Harrison (VC 1857)
John Harrison | |
|---|---|
Second Anglo-Chinese War | |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
John Harrison VC (24 January 1832 – 27 December 1865) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Early life
Harrison was born in Castleboro, County Wexford; he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class in 1850.[1]
Details
Harrison was 25 years old, and a
For conspicuous gallantry at Lucknow, on the 16th of November, 1857, in climbing up a tree, touching the angle of the Shah Nujjiff, to reply to the fire of the enemy, for which most dangerous service, the late Captain Peel, K.C.B., had called for volunteers.[2]
Later life
Harrison later achieved the rank of
The medal
Harrison's Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.
References
- ^ Victoria Cross (MED2081) Archived 9 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "No. 22212". The London Gazette. 24 December 1858. p. 5512.
Listed in order of publication year
- 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.
- ISBN 1-899243-00-3(Dept of Economic Development, 1995)
- Monuments to Courage(David Harvey, 1999)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross(Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Brompton Cemetery)