Philip Smith (VC)

Philip Smith VC was born in Lurgan, County Cavan in 1829. His discharge papers confirming this are on line at Ancestry.co.uk under Chelsea Pensioners Records. His parents names are Thomas Smith and Bridget Mulvaney. This is confirmed by marriage records in Canada and Cavan Genealogy Soc. He died in Dublin on 16 January 1906. He 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.

Philip Smith
Bornc. 1829
Lurgan, County Cavan.
Died16 January 1906
Dublin
Buried
Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
RankLance Sergeant
Unit17th Regiment of Foot
Battles/warsCrimean War
AwardsVictoria Cross
Médaille militaire (France)

Details
Depiction of The Battle of Sebastopol

He was 26 old, and a corporal in the 17th Regiment (later the Leicestershire Regiment), British Army during the Siege of Sebastopol in the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

For repeatedly going out in the front of the advanced trenches against the Great Redan, on the 18th June, 1855, under a very heavy fire, after the column had retired from the assault, and bringing in wounded comrades.[1]

Further information

Having achieved the rank of lance sergeant, he was later reduced to the ranks and when discharged he was a private. He died at Harolds Cross, Dublin on 16 January 1906 and was buried at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.[2]

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment now housed in the Newarke Houses Museum, Leicester, England.

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References
  1. "No. 21971". The London Gazette. 24 February 1857. p. 658.
  2. "Smith, Philip VC". Regimental Association of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.

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 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)
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