John Divane

He led a charge at Delhi, and fell on the enemy breastworks.

John Divane was born about 1822 at Carrabane in County Galway. A labourer before joining the army, he enlisted in the 60th Rifles at Kilkenny in September 1847. He reached India in February 1849 and served at stations including Peshawar, Jullundur and Meerut.

During the Indian uprising of 1857 he served in the operations against Delhi. On 10 September he led a successful charge by Beeloochee and Sikh troops against an enemy trench. Leaping out of the British trenches with the troops following, he reached the enemy breastworks, where he was shot down. The privates of his regiment elected him for the Victoria Cross. His severe right-leg wound ultimately required amputation and ended his active military career.

Divane sailed for Britain in April 1858 and was medically discharged at Chatham on 31 December. He became a Chelsea in-pensioner. Queen Victoria presented his decoration at Windsor on 9 November 1860. He later lived in Ireland and then at Penzance, where he worked as a fish hawker despite his disability. He married twice and had a son by his first marriage and a daughter by his second.

He died at Penzance on 1 December 1888 and was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in St Clare Cemetery. A headstone was erected in 1995, giving his burial place a permanent memorial. His Victoria Cross and Indian Mutiny Medal commemorate the forward stand at Delhi and the campaign which cost him his leg.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For distinguished gallantry in heading a successful charge made by the Beeloochee and Seikh Troops on one of the Enemy’s trenches before Delhi, on the 10th of September, 1857. He leaped out of our trenches, closely followed by the Native Troops, and was shot down from the top of the Enemy’s breastworks. Elected by the Privates of the Regiment.

The London Gazette of 20 January 1860, Numb. 22347, p. 178.