William Bradshaw (VC)

He brought wounded men into safety through heavy enemy fire.

William Bradshaw was born at Thurles, County Tipperary, on 12 February 1830. He qualified with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and joined the Army in 1854. He served as a medical officer with the 50th Regiment during the Crimean War before transferring to the 90th Light Infantry.

On 26 September 1857 during the relief of Lucknow, Assistant Surgeon Bradshaw and Surgeon Anthony Dickson Home became separated from the main British column with wounded men in their care. Under heavy fire, Bradshaw helped bring twenty litters of wounded into the Residency by a route beside the river. His courage and persistence earned the Victoria Cross. Queen Victoria presented the decoration at Buckingham Palace on 8 June 1859.

Bradshaw subsequently served with the 32nd Regiment and on the staff before going on half pay in October 1860. He returned to Ireland and died at Thurles on 9 March 1861, aged 31. He was buried at St Mary’s Church there.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For intrepidity and good conduct when ordered with Surgeon Home, 90th Regiment, to remove the wounded men left behind the column that forced its way into the Residency of Lucknow, on the 26th September, 1857. The dooly bearers had left the doolies, but by great exertions, and notwithstanding the close proximity of the sepoys, Surgeon Home, and Assistant-Surgeon Bradshaw, got some of the bearers together, and Assistant-Surgeon Bradshaw with about twenty doolies, becoming separated from the rest of the party, succeeded in reaching the Residency in safety by the river bank.

The London Gazette of 18 June 1858, Numb. 22154, p. 2959