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John Harrison (VC 1857)

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Buried at
  
Name
  
John Harrison

Allegiance
  
Role
  
VC 1857


Years of service
  
1850–1859

Service/branch
  
Awards
  
John Harrison (VC 1857)

Born
  
24 January 1832Castleboro, County Wexford (
1832-01-24
)

Battles/wars
  
Crimean WarIndian MutinySecond Anglo-Chinese War

Died
  
December 27, 1865, Westminster, United Kingdom

Place of burial
  
Brompton Cemetery, London, United Kingdom

Battles and wars
  
Crimean War, Indian Rebellion of 1857, Second Opium War

Similar People
  
Lalbahadur Thapa, Karanbahadur Rana, Frederick George Dancox, William McBean, Kulbir Thapa

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.

Contents

Early life

Harrison was born in Castleboro, County Wexford; he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class in 1850.

Details

Harrison was 25 years old, and a Leading Seaman in the Royal Navy, (Naval Brigade) from HMS Shannon during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 16 November 1857 at Lucknow, India for which he and Nowell Salmon were awarded the VC:

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.

Later life

Harrison later achieved the rank of Boatswain's Mate in 1858 and left the navy in 1859. He obtained a post in Customs and Excise but a wound sustained during the relief of Lucknow affected his health. He died unmarried at his home 5 Stafford Place, Westminster on 27 December 1865 and is buried at Brompton Cemetery, West London.

The medal

Harrison's Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.

References

John Harrison (VC 1857) Wikipedia


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