Thomas de Courcy Hamilton

He charged into the captured battery and drove those men out

Thomas de Courcy Hamilton was born at Stranraer on 20 July 1825. He joined the 90th Regiment in 1842 and served in southern Africa before transferring to the 68th Regiment. In the Crimea he fought at Alma, Balaklava and Inkerman and took part in the siege of Sevastopol.

On the night of 11 May 1855, an enemy sortie captured a British battery. Hamilton led a small force in a determined counterattack and drove the attackers out, preventing the works from remaining in enemy hands. His conduct earned the Victoria Cross, presented at Corfu in July 1857.

He held staff appointments at Colchester and in the Ionian Islands, married Mary Baynes and later commanded the 64th Regiment. Retiring in 1874 with the honorary rank of major-general, he settled at Cheltenham and became a justice of the peace and supporter of the Gordon Boys' Brigade. He died there on 3 March 1908 and was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery.

Victoria Cross citation

For having, on the night of the 11th May, 1855, during a most determined sortie, boldly charged the enemy, with a small force, from a battery of which they had obtained possession in great numbers, thereby saving the works from falling into the hands of the enemy. He was conspicuous on this occasion for his gallantry, and daring conduct.