John Sullivan, (10 April 1830 – 28 June 1884) was a sailor in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

and an Irish recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest 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. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces.

Royal Navy

Sullivan was 25 years old, and a boatswain's mate in the

, serving in the Naval Brigade during the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the

(VC). On 10 April 1855 at Sebastopol, in Crimea, Boatswain's Mate Sullivan, as captain of one of the guns at Greenhill Battery, volunteered to place a flagstaff on a mound to act as an aiming point. He carried out this dangerous task undeterred by continuous fire from enemy sharpshooters, and his action enabled the battery to open fire on hitherto concealed enemy guns which were doing great damage to some of the advanced works. Sullivan later achieved the rank of chief boatswain's mate. He committed suicide at

Kinsale Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork (city), Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a populatio ...

, County Cork, on 28 June 1884.

References

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Dublin)''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, John 1830 births 1884 deaths 19th-century Irish military personnel Burials at Glasnevin Cemetery Crimean War recipients of the Victoria Cross Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross Irish sailors in the Royal Navy People from Bantry Recipients of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross People from Kinsale Suicides in Ireland Military personnel from County Cork