Richard Fitzgerald

For other people named Richard Fitzgerald, see Richard Fitzgerald (disambiguation).

Richard Fitzgerald
Born	December 1831 Cork, County Cork
Died	1884 (aged 53)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Bengal Army
Rank	Gunner
Unit	Bengal Horse Artillery
Battles/wars	Indian Mutiny
Awards	Victoria Cross

Richard Fitzgerald VC (December 1831, St. Finbar's, Cork, Ireland – 1884 in India) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Details

He was approximately 25 years old, and a Gunner in the Bengal Horse Artillery, Bengal Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 28 September 1857 at Bolandshahr, India for which he and Sergeant Bernard Diamond was awarded the Victoria Cross:

"For an act of valour performed in action against the rebels and mutineers at Boolundshur, on the 28th September, 1857, when these two soldiers evinced the most determined bravery in working their gun under a very heavy fire of musketry, whereby they cleared the road of the enemy, after every other man belonging to it had been either killed or disabled by wounds. (Despatch of Major Turner, Bengal Horse Artillery, dated Boolundshur, 2nd October, 1857.)

Fitzgerald died in India in 1884. Fitzgerald's VC is currently held, as is his Indian Mutiny medal, by Bristol Museum.

References

Listed in order of publication year

• 'The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
• Ireland's VCs (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, Four Courts, 2000 ISBN 185182491X)
• "Richard Fitzgerald (1831 - 1884)", Find A Grave