James McGuire (VC)

James McGuire
Born	c. 1827 Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland
Died	22 December 1862 (aged 34–35) Derry, County Londonderry, Ireland
Buried	Donagh Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	Bengal Army
Years of service	1849–1859
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	1st Bengal European Fusiliers
Battles / wars	Second Anglo-Burmese War Indian Mutiny
Awards	Victoria Cross (forfeited)

James McGuire VC (c. 1827 – 22 December 1862) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest British award. It was awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy. The VC was later forfeited.

Details

He was about 30 years old, and a sergeant in the 1st Bengal European Fusiliers (later The Royal Munster Fusiliers), Bengal Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 14 September 1857 at Delhi, India for which he together with Drummer Miles Ryan were awarded the VC:

Serjeant J. McGuire, Drummer M. Ryan

Date of Act of Bravery, 14th September, 1857

At the assault on Delhi on the 14th September, 1857, when the Brigade had reached the Cabul Gate, the 1st Fusiliers and 75th Regiment, and some Sikhs, were waiting for orders, and some of the Regiments were getting ammunition served out (three boxes of which exploded from some cause not clearly known, and two others were in a state of ignition), when Serjeant McGuire and Drummer Ryan rushed into the burning mass, and, seizing the boxes, threw them, one after the other, over the parapet into the water. The confusion consequent on the explosion was very great, and the crowd of soldiers and native followers, who did not know where the danger lay, were rushing into certain destruction, when Serjeant McGuire and Drummer Ryan, by their coolness and personal daring, saved the lives of many at the risk of their own.

Further information

One of eight men whose VCs were forfeited. McGuire's VC was forfeited after he was convicted of stealing a cow. He died in Derry, Ireland, 22 December 1862.

Medal's location

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Army Museum (Chelsea, England).

See also

• The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)

Further reading

• Clarke, Brian D.H. (1986). "A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men". The Irish Sword. XVI (64): 185–287.
• Department of Economic Development (1995). Ireland's VCs. ISBN 1-899243-00-3.
• Doherty, Richard; Truesdale, David (2000). Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross. Four Courts Pr. ISBN 978-1-85182-442-7.
• Harvey, David (1999). Monuments to Courage (2 volumes ed.). Kevin & Kay Patience.—OCLC 59437297; OCLC 59437300
• McCance, S. "Appendix 'L'". History of The Royal Munster Fusiliers from 1861 to 1922. Vol. 1. p. 222.
• Stewart, Iain. "Grave Location for Holders of the Victoria Cross in: Northern Ireland". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.—Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
• "Sergeant James McGuire V. C". www.royalmunsterfusiliers.org. 29 October 2010. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013.