John Augustus Conolly

He held his exposed post despite wounds and mounting danger.

John Augustus Conolly was born at Cliff, Ballyshannon, County Donegal, on 30 May 1829, into a family with parliamentary and military connections. He purchased an ensign's commission in the 49th Regiment in February 1848 and became a lieutenant in 1850. The regiment's deployment to the Crimea brought him into the fighting at the Alma and before Sebastopol.

On 26 October 1854, during the action at Little Inkermann, Conolly commanded an exposed advanced picket. He resisted a much larger attacking force, held the position until support arrived and continued directing his men after being seriously wounded. His defence and leadership formed the basis of his Victoria Cross.

Conolly was promoted captain in December 1854 and transferred to the Coldstream Guards the following month. He received brevet promotion to major in 1855. Queen Victoria presented his cross at the first general Victoria Cross investiture in Hyde Park on 26 June 1857. His Crimean service also brought British and allied campaign honours.

He subsequently served as an instructor of musketry and advanced to lieutenant-colonel. In August 1864 he married Ida Charlotte Burnaby; they had a son and four daughters. He retired from the regular army in March 1870, but served again as captain and adjutant of the 1st Derby Militia from 1872 to 1875.

His later career was in public administration in Ireland. He became a sub-commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police and later resident magistrate for the Curragh in County Kildare. He died at the Magistrates House there on 23 December 1888 and was buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin.

Official Victoria Cross citation

In the attack by the Russians against the position held by the Second Division, 26th October, 1854, Major Conolly, then a Lieutenant in the 49th Regiment, while in command of a company of that regiment, on outlying picket, made himself most conspicuous by the gallantry of his behaviour. He came particularly under the observation of the late Field-Marshal Lord Raglan, while in personal encounter with several Russians, in defence of his post. He ultimately fell, dangerously wounded. Lieutenant Conolly was highly praised in General Orders, and promoted into the Coldstream Guards, as a reward for his exemplary behaviour on this occasion.

The London Gazette of 5 May 1857, Numb. 21997, p. 1579