Charles Irwin, VC (1824 – 8 April 1873), was born in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces.

Details

Irwin was approximately 33 years old, and a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

in the

53rd Regiment of Foot The 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot was a British Army regiment, raised in 1755. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 85th (King's Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot to form the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1881. History E ...

(later

The King's Shropshire Light Infantry The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in the Childers Reforms of 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. It served in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. In 196 ...

), British Army during the

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

when the following deed took place on 16 November 1857 at the Relief of Lucknow for which he was awarded the VC:

Further information

Service Record: *

18th Regiment of Foot 18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19. In mathematics * Eighteen is a composite number, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9. Three of these divisors (3, 6 and 9) add up to 18, hence 18 is a semiperfect number. ...

* 3168 53rd Shropshire Regiment * 87th Regiment of Foot between Jan 1860 – 30 June 1860.The Victoria Cross to the 53rd Regiment : India 1857–58
/ref> His entry in the Canon Lummis files states that: "Judging from numerous entries in the muster roles as to imprisonment, he appears to have been a bad hat." He died on 29 March 1873 at Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh, Ireland and was buried in Saint Mark's Churchyard ( Aghadrumsee) Magheraveely, County Fermanagh.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The King's Shropshire Light Infantry Museum.

References

Listed in order of publication year *'' The Register of the Victoria Cross'' (1981, 1988 and 1997) * *'' Ireland's VCs'' (Dept of Economic Development, 1995) *'' Monuments to Courage'' (David Harvey, 1999) *'' Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross'' (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland)'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Irwin, Charles 1824 births 1873 deaths 19th-century Irish people British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army personnel of the Second Anglo-Burmese War Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross King's Shropshire Light Infantry soldiers People from County Leitrim Royal Irish Fusiliers soldiers Royal Irish Regiment (1684–1922) soldiers Military personnel from County Leitrim Burials in Northern Ireland