| Comments: This tin was produced
to commemorate five separate acts of bravery which resulted in the
awarding of the "Victoria Cross". This is the highest
and most prestigious award for gallantry that can be awarded to
British and Commonwealth forces in the face of the enemy. The medal
was initiated by Queen Victoria in 1856 and is still supposedly made
from captured Russian cannons from the Battle of Sebastopol. The tin
is nicely embossed, has a hinged lid and was manufactured in 1893 by
"Hudson, Scott & Sons" for "McVitie & Price" of
Edinburgh.
The five "Victoria Cross Episodes".
1) Indian Mutiny:
"Before Lucknow: Lance Corporal Goates
attempted rescue of Major Smith".
The lance corporal was 22 years old and in the 9th Lancers when he
went back for the second time to recover the body of a major on the
6th March 1858. He was born 12th January 1836 and died on the 24th
October 1901. His name was spelt Goat(e).
2) Indian Mutiny:
"Surgeon Jee dressing the wounded under fire
at Lucknow".
Joseph Jee (9th February 1819 - 17th March 1899) was 38 years old
and a surgeon in the 78th Regiment when he was awarded the
"Victoria Cross" for his actions on the 25th September 1857. He
attended to a large number of wounded soldiers and tried to get them
evacuated to the Residency, however they were besieged all night and
he eventually managed to get them to the Residency the next day
under heavy fire, even though he was repeatedly told not to attempt
this.
3) Indian Mutiny:
"Private James Davis rescuing Lieut.
Bramley, under heavy fire"
Private James Davis Kelly (1835 - 1893) was 23 years old, in the
42nd Regiment and serving in the British Army during the Indian
Mutiny when he was awarded the "Victoria Cross". During an
attack on Fort Ruhya he offered to carry back the body of a
lieutenant who had been killed at the gate of the fort under heavy
fire on the 15th April 1858.
4) Crimea:
"In the trenches before Sebastopol. Sergeant
Ablett throwing out a live shell".
Private Alfred Ablett (3rd August 1830 - 12th March 1897) was in the
3rd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards when he performed his heroic
deed. During the siege of Sebastopol, 2nd September 1855, he saw a
burning shell fall into a trench containing two boxes of ammunition.
He picked it up with his bare hands and threw it out over the top,
where it exploded safely. He later achieved the rank of sergeant. He
was in the first group of recipients to ever receive this medal
"For Valour" on 26th June 1857 from Queen Victoria.
5) Afghanistan:
"At Maiwand: Gunner James Collis saving a gun".
James Collis (19th April 1856 - 28th June 1918) was 24 years old, in
the Royal Horse Artillery as a gunner during the Second Afghan War.
His actions on the 28th July 1880 resulted in the following
citation.
"For conspicuous bravery during the retreat from Maiwand to
Kandahar when the officer commanding the battery was endeavouring to
bring in a limber with wounded men under cross-fire, in running
forward and drawing the enemy's fire on himself, thus taking their
attention from the limber".
Unfortunately, he was stripped of his medal on the 18th November
1895 after being convicted of bigamy!
In 1920 the rules were changed so that the award could only be
revoked for the crimes of treason, cowardice, felony or an infamous
crime.
Footnote: The battle of Maiwand was where the fictional character of
Sherlock Holmes's companion John D Watson was wounded.
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