Thomas Laughnan

He was chosen for valour in the fighting to relieve Lucknow.

Thomas Laughnan was born at Gort, County Galway, in August 1824. He enlisted in the Bengal Artillery on 14 July 1844 and served as a gunner in the East India Company's military establishment. By the time of the Indian rebellion in 1857 he had more than thirteen years of service behind him.

Laughnan belonged to the artillery force employed in the operations to relieve Lucknow in November 1857. During the fighting between 14 and 22 November the batteries accompanied the advance through defended positions towards the British garrison. Moving and serving guns exposed the artillerymen while they supported the infantry and helped overcome resistance along the route.

His Victoria Cross was awarded through the election procedure authorized by the original warrant. This allowed officers, non-commissioned officers and men to choose representatives when a whole body of troops had distinguished itself and the commander could not single out individual acts for every award. Laughnan was one of the Bengal Artillery men selected by his comrades.

The official notice, published in the London Gazette on 24 December 1858, records conspicuous gallantry during the relief operations of 14–22 November 1857. It recognizes the collective circumstances and the election, rather than describing a separate named exploit by Laughnan. The published citation is transcribed with the related Bengal Artillery awards at https://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbparkja.htm.

After his Army service Laughnan returned to Ireland as a pensioner. He died in Galway on 23 July 1864, still in his thirties. The location of his grave has not been established. His Victoria Cross and Indian Mutiny Medal commemorate a professional artilleryman's part in the relief of Lucknow and the high opinion in which his conduct was held by the men who served alongside him.