Royal Engineers Museum and Library - History Section Crosses (VCs) page (original) (raw)

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History Section - Sappers VCs The Victoria Cross was founded by Royal Warrant on 29th January 1856, and was originally intended to be awarded to members of the Royal Navy and British Army who, serving in the presence of the enemy, should have performed some signal act of valour or devotion to their country. There has been 1354 VCs awarded since the inception of the decoration in 1856 and some 55 have gone to sappers of one sort or another, 26 of which are held by the Museum. The selection of those listed below has been drawn from Colonel Gerald Napier's book The Sapper VCs and has been done on the principle "Once a sapper, always a sapper". In this case the term "sapper" refers to all those who have been awarded the VC whilst serving with British Empire forces after they had been either commissioned or enlisted as a member of a British or Empire military engineer corps, whatever their rank, specialty or national allegiance. Sapper VC recipients Ex-Sappers VC recipients VC recipients who won their VCs prior to serving with the Royal Engineers The Victoria Cross Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Sapper Adam ARCHIBALD VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Sambre-Oise canal at Ors, France Date: 4 November 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 218 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Captain Fenton AYLMER VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Hunza-Naga, North-West Frontier, India Date: 2 December 1891 (Huza-Naga expedition 1891) Unit: 4 Company, Bengal Sappers and Miners Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Corporal Cyril Royston Guyton BASSETT VC Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers Location: Chunuk Bair ridge, Gallipoli. Date: 7 August 1915. (First World War 1914-18) Unit: New Zealand Division Signal Company Held by: Privately held Lieutenant Mark Sever BELL VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Ordashu, Gold Coast (now Ghana) Date: 4 February 1874 (Ashanti War 1874) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Second Lieutenant Premindra Singh BHAGAT VC Corps of Indian Engineers Location: near Metemma, Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) Dates: 31 January-1 February 1941 (Second World War 1939-45) Unit: 21 Field Company, Bombay Sappers and Miners Held by: Bombay Sapper Group Museum, Kirkee, Poona, India Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Lieutenant John Rouse Merriott CHARD VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Rorke's Drift, Natal (now South Africa) Date: 22-23 January 1879 (Zulu War 1879) Unit: 5 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Privately held Major Brett Mackay CLOUTMAN VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Quartes Bridge at Pont-sur-Sambre Date: 6 November 1918. (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 59 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Brigadier-General Clifford COFFIN VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Westhoek Ridge, Ypres, Belgium Date: 31 July 1917 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: Commanding the 25 Infantry Brigade Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Lieutenant James Morris Colquhoun COLVIN VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Bilot, Mamund Valley, India (now Pakistan) Date: 16 September 1897 (North West Frontier War 1897-98) Unit: 4th Company Bengal Sappers and Miners Held by: Privately held Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Corporal James Lennox DAWSON VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Loos, France Date: 13 October 1915 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 187 Special Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Glasgow University Lieutenant Robert James Thomas DIGBY JONES VC (Posthumously) Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Wagon Hill, Ladysmith, South Africa Date: 6 January 1900 (Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902) Unit: 23 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Lieutenant James DUNDAS VC Corps of Royal Engineers (late Bengal Engineers) Location: Dewangiri, Bhutan Date: 30 April 1865 (Bhutan War 1864-66) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Privately held Sergeant Thomas Frank DURRANT VC (Posthumously) Corps of Royal Engineers Location: off St Nazaire, France Date: 27-28 March 1942. (Second World War 1939-45) Unit: Royal Engineers attached to No 1 Commando Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Lieutenant Howard Crawfurd ELPHINSTONE VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 18 June 1855 (Crimean War 1854-56) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Privately held Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Major George de Cardonnel Elmsall FINDLAY VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: on the Sambre-Oise canal, near Catillon, France Date: 4 November 1918. (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 409 (Lowland) Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Sergeant Samuel FORSYTH VC (Posthumously) Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers Location: Grévillers, France Date: 24 August 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: New Zealand Engineers attached to 2nd Battalion Auckland Regiment. Held by: Privately held Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Lieutenant Charles Augustus GOODFELLOW VC Bombay Engineers Location: Kathiawar, India Date: 6 October 1859 (Waghers' Rebellion, India 1859) Unit: Bombay Engineers (with 4 Company Bombay Sappers and Miners) Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Lieutenant Gerald GRAHAM VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 18 June 1855 (Crimean War 1854-56) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Sapper William HACKETT VC (Posthumously) Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Givenchy, France Date: 26 June 1916 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 254 Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Lieutenant Reginald Clare HART VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: in the Bazar Valley, Afghanistan Date: 31 January 1879 (Second Afghan War -1878-80) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Privately held Lieutenant Duncan Charles HOME VC Bengal Engineers Location: Cashmere Gate, Delhi, India Date: 14 September 1857 (Indian Mutiny - 1857) Unit: Bengal Engineers attached Held by: Privately held Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Lieutenant James John McLeod INNES VC Bengal Engineers Location: Sultanpore, India Date: 28 February 1858 (Indian Mutiny 1857-8) Unit: Bengal Engineers attached Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Lance-Corporal Charles Alfred JARVIS VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Jemappes, Belgium Date: 23 August 1914 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 57 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Birmingham Museum Second Lieutenant Frederick Henry JOHNSON VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Loos, France Date: 25 September 1915 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 73 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Privately held Captain William Henry JOHNSTON VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Missy, near Moulin des Roches, River Aisine, France Date: 14 September 1914. (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 59 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Corporal Frank Howard KIRBY VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: near Bronkhorstspruit, Delagoa Bay Railway, Pretoria, South Africa Date: 2 June 1900 (Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902) Unit: No 1 Field Troop, Royal Engineers, 1st Division Held by: Privately held Second Lieutenant Cecil Leonard KNOX VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Tugny, France Date: 22 March 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 150 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Privately held Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Captain Edward Pemberton LEACH VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Maidanak, Afghanistan Date: 17 March 1879 (Afghanistan War 1878-9) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Colour Sergeant Peter LEITCH VC Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 18 June 1855 (Crimean War 1854-6) Unit: 2 Company, Royal Sappers and Miners Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Corporal William James LENDRIM VC Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 14 February 1855 (Crimean War 1854-56) Unit: 7th Company, Royal Sappers and Miners Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Lieutenant Wilbraham Oates LENNOX VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 20 November 1854. (Crimean War 1854-56) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Second Lieutenant Cyril Gordon MARTIN VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Spanbroekmolen, Belgium Date: 12 March 1915 (First World War 1914-18). Unit: 56 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Colour Sergeant Henry McDONALD VC Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 19 April 1855 (Crimean War 1854-6) Unit: 10th Company, Royal Sapper and Miners Held by: Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum Corporal James McPHIE VC (Posthumously) Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Canal de le Sensée, near Aubencheul-au-Bac, France Date: 14 October 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 416 (Edinburgh) Field Company Held by: Imperial War Museum, London Captain Coulson Norman MITCHELL VC Royal Canadian Engineers Location: Canal de I'Escaut, north-east of Cambrai Date: 8-9 October 1918 (First World War 1914-18). Unit: 1 Tunnelling Company, 4th Canadian Engineers Held by: Canadian Military Engineers Museum, CFB Gagetown, Oromocto New Brunswick Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Lieutenant Philip NEAME VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Neuve-Chapelle, France Date: 19 December 1914 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 15 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Imperial War Museum, London Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Private John PERIE VC Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 18 June 1855 (Crimean War 1854-56) Unit: 8th Company, Royal Sappers and Miners Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Lieutenant Harry North Dalrymple PRENDERGAST VC Madras Engineers Location: Mundisore, India Date: 21 November 1857 (Indian Mutiny 1857) Unit: Madras Engineers (B Company, Madras Sappers and Miners) Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Lieutenant Claud RAYMOND VC (Posthumously) Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Talaku, Burma Date: 22 March 1945 (Second World War 1939-45) Unit: 58 Observation Squadron, 303 Indian Brigade Held by: Royal Engineers Museum No portraitavailable Corporal John ROSS VC Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners Location: Sebastopol, Crimea Date: 21 July 1855 (Crimean War 1854-56) Unit: 2nd Company, Royal Sappers and Miners Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details No portrait available Lieutenant Philip SALKELD VC Bengal Engineers Location: Cashmere Gate, Delhi, India Date: 14 September 1857 (Indian Mutiny - 1857) Unit: Bengal Engineers attached Held by: Privately held Corporal Michael SLEAVON VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Jhansi, India Date: 3 April 1858 (Indian Mutiny - 1857-8) Unit: 12th Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Privately held No portrait available Sergeant John SMITH VC Bengal Sappers and Miners Location: Cashmere Gate, Delhi, India Date: 14 September 1857 (Indian Mutiny - 1857) Unit: Bengal Sappers and Miners Held by: Privately held Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Second Lieutenant Edward Talbot THACKERAY VC Bengal Engineers Location: Delhi, India Date: 16 September 1857 (Indian Mutiny - 1857) Unit: Bengal Engineers Held by: South African Military History Museum Captain William Spottiswoode TREVOR VC Corps of Royal Engineers (late Bengal Engineers) Location: Dewangiri, Bhutan Date: 30 April 1865. (Bhutan War 1864-66) Unit: Royal Engineers attached Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Major Arnold Horace Santo WATERS VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Sambre-Oise canal near Ors, France Date: 4 November 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 218 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Lieutenant Thomas Colclough WATSON VC Corps of Royal Engineers Location: Bilot, Mamund Valley, India (now Pakistan) Date: 16 September 1897 Unit: Royal Engineers attached Malakand Field Force Held by: Privately held Captain Theodre WRIGHT VC (Posthumously) Corps of Royal Engineers Location and date: Mons on 23 August 1914 and Vailly on 14 September 1914. (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 57 Field Company, Royal Engineers Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Historical background related to these VCs and the development of the Corps can be found on the Corps History page Ex-Sapper VC recipients VC recipients who won their VCs after transferring from the Royal Engineers. Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Sergeant John CARMICHAEL VC Enlisted into the Corps in June 1915, served with 415 (Lowland) Field Company before transferring to 8th Sherwood Forest Regiment in late 1915, then transferred to the 9th Staffords in 1917. Location: Hill 60, Zwarteleen Begium Date: 8 September 1917 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 9th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales) Held by: Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Lichfield Captain Lanoe George HAWKER VC Commissioned into the Royal Engineers in July 1911, transferred to Royal Flying Corps in July 1914. Location: over the Western Front Date: 25 July 1915 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps Held by: Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, London Major Edward MANNOCK VC (Posthumously) Commissioned into the Royal Engineers in June 1916, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on 6 April 1917. Location: France and Flanders Date: 17 June 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force Held by: Privately held Captain James Thomas Byford McCUDDEN VC Enlisted as a Royal Engineers Bugler in 1910 transferred in to Royal Flying Corps in 1913. Location: Northern France Date: 2 April 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps Held by: Royal Engineers Museum Captain Alfred Maurice TOYE VC Enlisted into the Royal Engineers as a trumpter in 1911, commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment in 1916. Location: Eterpigny Ridge, France Date: 25 March 1918 Unit: 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Held by: Privately held VC recipients who won their VCs prior to serving with the Royal Engineers Name and Citation Victoria Cross Details Private Norman Harvey VC Enlisted into the Royal Engineers in 1939 and joined 199 Railway Workshop Company, he was promoted to Company Quartermaster-Sergeant in April 1941. Location: Ingoyghem, Belgium Date: 25 October 1918 (First World War 1914-18) Unit: 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Held by: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers' Museum, Enniskillen Lieutenant Colonel August Charles NEWMAN VC He was a civil engineering contractor by profession who after the war joined the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps. Location: St Nazaire, France Date: 27-28 March 1942 Unit: Essex Regiment attached to No 2 Commando Held by: Privately held Additional material: SC Fenwick, FoREM Source: The Sapper VCs. Napier G (The Stationery Office, London, 1998) Designated as a museum with an 'outstanding collection' the Royal Engineers Museum is a charity supported by private funds. Reg No: 295173

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