George Bell Chicken

He charged into rebel ranks and fought until he was cut down

George Bell Chicken was born at Howden Pans, Northumberland, on 2 March 1833. Apprenticed to the merchant service in 1847, he qualified as a master in 1854. His voyages took him to the Baltic, South America and India before he joined the government river surveying service in 1857. During the Indian uprising of 1857-1858 he volunteered for service with the Indian Naval Brigade. He was a civilian mariner serving alongside the armed forces, rather than a private in a British infantry regiment.

In September 1858, at Suhejnee near Peroo, he took part in an action against rebels who were regrouping to fire on scattered pursuers. He charged into their midst and became surrounded. Fighting at close quarters, he killed several opponents before being cut down. Men of the Bengal Police and the 3rd Sikh Irregular Cavalry reached him and drove the attackers away, saving him from being killed.

The action brought the Victoria Cross, announced in April 1860. Chicken had returned to Calcutta in November 1859 and in March 1860 took command of the schooner Emily. The vessel was lost with all hands in a violent squall near the Sandheads in the Bay of Bengal that May. He therefore died before his decoration could be presented.

His father received an official replacement VC in 1862. The existence of that cross and the earlier cross prepared for him later produced an unusual history of two physical decorations associated with the same single award. Chicken's brief career ended at sea, after he had survived the wounds received while serving ashore in India.

Victoria Cross citation The London Gazette of 27 April 1860, Numb. 22380, p. 1596

For great gallantry on the 27th September, 1858, at Suhejnee, near Peroo, in having charged into the middle of a considerable number of the rebels, who were preparing to rally and open fire upon the scattered pursuers. They were surrounded on all sides, but, fighting desperately, Mr. Chicken succeeded in killing five before he was cut down himself. He would have been cut to pieces, had not some of the men of the 1st Bengal Police and 3rd Seikh Irregular Cavalry, dashed into the crowd to his rescue, and routed it, after killing several of the Enemy.