Stephen Garvin

Stephen Garvin
Colour Sergeant Stephen Garvin
Born	c. 1826 Cashel, County Tipperary[1]
Died	23 November 1874 Chesterton, Cambridge[1][2]
Buried	St. Andrew's Parish Churchyard, Chesterton[1][2]
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	1844–1863
Rank	Colour Sergeant
Unit	1st Battalion 60th Rifles
Battles / wars	Second Anglo-Sikh War Indian Mutiny North-West Frontier
Awards	Victoria Cross Distinguished Conduct Medal

Stephen Garvin VC, DCM (c. 1826 – 23 November 1874), born in Cashel, County Tipperary, 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.

Details

He was around 31 years old, and a colour-sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 60th Rifles, British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 23 June 1857 at Delhi, India for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:[3]

For daring and gallant conduct before Delhi on the 23rd of June, 1857, in volunteering to lead a small party of men, under a heavy fire, to the "Sammy House," for the purpose of dislodging a number of the Enemy in position there, who kept up a destructive fire on the advanced battery of heavy guns, in which, after a sharp contest, he succeeded. Also recommended for gallant conduct throughout the operations before Delhi.

Further information

Garvin died in Chesterton, Cambridge on 23 November 1874, and is buried in St. Andrew's Parish Churchyard there.[2] His Victoria Cross is in private ownership, having been bought by Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft at auction in 2014.[1]

References

1. Henn, Peter (22 September 2014). "Victoria Cross and other medals sold to Tory peer for more than the price of a house". Daily Express. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
2. Parsons, Michael (13 September 2014). "Sale of Irish war hero's medal". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
3. "No. 22347". The London Gazette. 20 January 1860. p. 178.

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.
• Ireland's VCs 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