William Henry Thomas Sylvester

He braved the Redan gunfire to treat a dying British officer

William Henry Thomas Sylvester, officially corrected to Henry Thomas Sylvester in the Gazette, was born at Devizes, Wiltshire, in April 1831. He studied medicine at Aberdeen and Edinburgh before joining the Army medical service in 1854. As an Assistant Surgeon with the 23rd Regiment of Foot, the Royal Welch Fusiliers, he served in the Crimean War.

On 8 September 1855, during the assault on the Great Redan at Sevastopol, Lieutenant and Adjutant Dyneley lay mortally wounded near the British lines. Sylvester went forward under heavy fire and dressed his wounds in the exposed position, assisted by Corporal Robert Shields. His courage earned the Victoria Cross, announced in the London Gazette on 20 November 1857. The citation also referred to General Sir James Simpson's despatch dated 18 September 1855.

His campaign honours included the Crimea Medal with Sebastopol clasp, the French Légion d'honneur at Knight grade and the Turkish Crimea Medal. He subsequently served during the Indian Rebellion, earning the Indian Mutiny Medal with Relief of Lucknow and Lucknow clasps.

Spinal illness curtailed his military career, and he was placed on half-pay on 15 November 1861. He continued in civilian medicine at Swansea Hospital and Millbank Prison, and in private practice in London. He married Martha Elizabeth Watson in 1874. Sylvester died at Paignton, Devon, on 13 March 1920 and was buried in Paignton Cemetery. He was the last surviving Crimean War Victoria Cross recipient.