William Coffey

He hurled a live shell from the trench to save his comrades.

William Coffey was born in County Limerick, Ireland, around 1829. He worked as a labourer before enlisting in the 82nd Regiment of Foot at Fermoy in November 1846. In April 1854 he transferred to the 34th Regiment for service in the Crimea.

On 29 March 1855, during the siege of Sebastopol, a shell with its fuse burning landed in his trench. Coffey picked it up and threw it over the parapet, protecting the men beside him from the explosion. The action earned him the Victoria Cross, which Queen Victoria presented at Hyde Park on 26 June 1857. His other Crimean honours included the Distinguished Conduct Medal and France’s Médaille militaire.

Coffey became a sergeant in 1856 and sailed to India in 1857. He served during the Indian rebellion and received the Indian Mutiny Medal with the Lucknow clasp. After leaving the army in 1860, he worked for the railway department in Calcutta, then reenlisted with the 75th Regiment and subsequently returned to the 82nd.

Poor health eventually ended his regular service. Back in Britain, he worked as a baker and served as a sergeant instructor with the Royal Cardigan Militia. He died at Stonegravels, Chesterfield, on 13 July 1875 and was buried in Spital Cemetery. His medals are preserved at Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life in Carlisle.

Official Victoria Cross citation:

For having, on the 29th March, 1855, thrown a lighted shell, that fell into the trench over the parapet.

London Gazette, 24 February 1857, p.659.