Samuel Turner (VC)

He carried a wounded officer back through fierce enemy fire.

Samuel Turner was born at Witnesham, Suffolk, in February 1826. He joined the 60th Rifles and served in India. During the rebellion of 1857 he took part in the advance from Meerut, the fighting at Badli ki Serai and operations before Delhi.

During the night of 19-20 June 1857, Lieutenant Humphreys was mortally wounded. Turner carried him back to safety through heavy fire despite himself having received a sabre wound to the arm. The officer later died. Turner’s rescue earned the Victoria Cross, gazetted in January 1860 and presented to him in India later that year.

After leaving the Army on a pension, Turner remained in India. He worked as a farrier and hotelkeeper at Meerut. He died there on 13 June 1868 and was buried in St John’s Cemetery. The precise position of his grave is no longer known.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For having, at Delhi, on the night of the 19th of June, 1857, during a severe conflict with the Enemy, who attacked the rear of the Camp, carried off on his shoulders, under a heavy fire, a mortally wounded Officer, Lieutenant Humphreys, of the Indian Service. During this service, Private Turner was wounded by a sabre cut in the right arm. His gallant conduct saved the above- named Officer from the fate of others, whose mangled remains were not recovered until the following day.

The London Gazette of 20 January 1860, Numb. 22347, p. 179