List of Indian Mutiny Victoria Cross recipients

The Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 182 members of the British Armed Forces, British Indian Army and civilians under their command, during the Indian Mutiny (also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857). The VC is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other Orders, decorations and medals. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The VC is traditionally presented to the recipient by the British monarch during an investiture at Buckingham Palace, though in a large number of cases this was not possible and it was presented in the field by a prominent civil or military official. The VC was introduced in Great Britain on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War.

The Indian Mutiny (also known as India's First War of Independence, Revolt of 1857, or the Sepoy Mutiny) began as a mutiny of sepoys of British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut. It soon erupted into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to present-day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, northern Madhya Pradesh, and the Delhi region. The rebellion posed a considerable threat to Company power in that region, and it was contained only with the fall of Gwalior on 20 June 1858. The rebellion proved to be an important watershed in Indian history; it led to the dissolution of the East India Company in 1858, and forced the British to reorganise the army, the financial system, and the administration in India. India was thereafter governed directly from London—by the British government India Office and a cabinet level Secretary of State for India—in the new British Raj, a system of governance that lasted until 1947.

Indian troops were not originally eligible for the VC, because since 1837 they had been eligible for the Indian Order of Merit—the oldest British gallantry award for general issue. When the VC was created, Indian troops were still controlled by the Honourable East India Company, and did not come under Crown control until 1860. European officers and men serving with the Honourable East India Company were not eligible for the Indian Order of Merit; the VC was extended to cover them in October 1857. The first citations of the VC varied in the details of each action; some specify one date, some date ranges, some the name of the battle and others have both sets of information. There were only two posthumous recipients of the VC for actions during the rebellion; the original Royal Warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously. Between 1897 and 1901, several notices were issued in the London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not "officially" awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six officers and men; Everard Phillipps and Edward Spence were decorated thus. The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to explicitly allow posthumous awards until 1920. The Indian Mutiny holds the record for the most VCs won in a single day; 24 at the Second Relief of Lucknow on 16 November 1857.

Recipients

Name	Unit	Date of action	Place of action
04343rd Regiment of Foot	1859-01-022 January 1859	Kurereha, India
0044th Bengal Native Infantry	1858-03-011 March 1858	Amethi, India
01313th Bengal Native Infantry	1857-06-3030 June 1857 to 22 November 1857	Lucknow, India
0022nd Dragoon Guards	1858-10-088 October 1858	Sundeela Oudh, India
08484th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2828 September 1857, 16 November 1857	Bolandshahr, India Lucknow, India
Bengal Police Battalion	1858-09-2727 September 1858	Suhejnee, Bengal
06060th Rifles	1858-05-066 May 1858	Bareilly, India
0077th Queen's Own Hussars	1858-03-1919 March 1858	Lucknow, India
0022nd Bombay Light Cavalry	1857-08-1212 August 1857, 23 October 1857	Neemuch, India Jeerum, India
0022nd Dragoon Guards	1857-09-2828 September 1857	Bolandshahr, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-07-2929 July 1857	Oonao, India
08484th Regiment of Foot	1857-07-1212 July 1857 to 25 September 1857	Lucknow, India
09090th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2626 September 1857	Lucknow, India
Royal Regiment of Artillery	1858-04-033 April 1858	Jhansi, India
0011st European Bengal Fusiliers	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Narnoul, India
04646th Bengal Native Infantry	1858-08-3131 August 1858	Seerporah, India
Commissariat Department	1857-05-1111 May 1857	Delhi, India
0011st European Bengal Fusiliers	1858-03-099 March 1858	Lucknow, India
08686th Regiment of Foot	1858-04-033 April 1858	Jhansi, India
0022nd European Bengal Fusiliers	1857-06-1212 June 1857	Delhi, India
05656th Bengal Native Infantry	1858-04-1515 April 1858	Fort Ruhya, India
07272nd Regiment of Foot	1858-03-3030 March 1858	Kotah, India
01313th Regiment of Foot	1858-04-066 April 1858	Azumgurh, India
0088th King's Royal Irish Hussars	1858-09-088 September 1858	Beejapore, India
Indian Naval BrigadeIndian Naval Brigade	1858-09-2727 September 1858	Peroo, Bengal
01919th Madras Native Infantry	1859-01-1515 January 1859	Chichumbah, India
08686th Regiment of Foot	1858-04-011 April 1858	Jhansi, India
Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery	1857-07-077 July 1857	Jhelum, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1859-01-1515 January 1859	Maylah Ghat, India
07575th Regiment of Foot	1857-06-088 June 1857	Delhi, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-08-1212 August 1857	Boursekee Chowkee, India
01313th Bengal Native Infantry	1857-06-3030 June 1857	Chinhut, India
01111th Bengal Native Infantry	1857-10-022 October 1857	Chota Behar, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1858-04-1515 April 1858	Fort Ruhya, India
01010th Regiment of Foot	1857-08-1212 August 1857, 14 March 1858	Lucknow, India
Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery	1857-09-2828 September 1857	Bolandshahr, India
06060th Rifles	1857-09-1010 September 1857	Delhi, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-09-2828 September 1857	Bolandshahr, India
03232nd Regiment of Foot	1857-07-044 July 1857, 27 September 1857	Lucknow, India
0011st Madras European Fusiliers	1857-09-066 September 1857	Lucknow, India
09393rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
05353rd Regiment of Foot	1857-10-022 October 1857	Chota Behar, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1858-03-099 March 1858	Lucknow, India
05353rd Regiment of Foot	1857-10-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery	1857-09-2828 September 1857	Bolandshahr, India
06464th Regiment of Foot	1857-11-2828 November 1857	Cawnpore, India
Bengal Veterans Establishment	1857-05-1111 May 1857	Delhi, India
0077th Queen's Own Hussars	1858-12-3131 December 1858	River Raptee, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-10-1010 October 1857	Agra, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1858-05-055 May 1858	Bareilly, India
06060th Rifles	1857-06-2323 June 1857	Delhi, India
Loodiana Regiment	1857-06-044 June 1857	Benares, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1858-03-066 March 1858	Lucknow, India
Bombay Engineers	1859-10-066 October 1859	Kathiawar, India
03232nd Regiment of Foot	1857-08-2121 August 1857	Lucknow, India
0055th Bengal European Cavalry	1857-08-1515 August 1857, 18 August 1857, 27 January 1858, 3 February 1858	Khurkowdah, India Not known Shumshabad, India Meangunge, India
0011st Bengal European Light Cavalry	1857-11-1212 November 1857, 25 February 1858	Alumbagh, India Jellalabad, India
09090th Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1717 November 1857	Lucknow, India
09393rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
0055th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2424 September 1857	Alumbagh, India
07575th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-1111 September 1857	Delhi, India
09090th Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
02323rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1818 November 1857	Lucknow, India
HMS ShannonHMS Shannon	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-06-1919 June 1857	Delhi, India
Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery	1857-11-1414 November 1857 to 22 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Naval BrigadeNaval Brigade	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-06-088 June 1857 10 October 1857	Delhi, India Agra, India
01010th Regiment of Foot	1857-07-1616 July 1857	Cawnpore, India
RifleRifle Brigade	1858-03-1111 March 1858	Lucknow, India
05252nd Regiment of Foot	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
06060th Rifles	1857-06-00June to September 1857	Delhi, India
0088th King's Royal Irish Hussars	1858-06-1717 June 1858	Gwalior, India
09090th Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery	1857-07-099 July 1857	Delhi, India
0088th King's Royal Irish Hussars	1858-06-1717 June 1858	Gwalior, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-1626 September 1857	Lucknow, India
08484th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2525 September 1857	Lucknow, India
09090th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2626 September 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Sappers and Miners	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
Bengal Sappers and Miners	1858-02-2323 February 1858	Sultanpore, India
05353rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
02626th Bengal Native Infantry	1858-10-1414 October 1858	Baroun, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2525 September 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery	1857-11-1414 November 1857 to 22 November 1857	Lucknow, India
08686th Regiment of Foot	1858-04-033 April 1858	Jhansi, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-06-088 June 1857	Delhi, India
Bengal Civil Service	1857-11-099 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Bombay ArtilleryBombay Artillery	1858-03-1717 March 1858	Chundairee, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-09-2828 September 1857	Bolandshahr, India
05353rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
02424th Bombay Native Infantry	1857-07-1010 July 1857	Kolapore, India
01010th Regiment of Foot	1857-06-044 June 1857	Benares, India
08484th Regiment of Foot	1857-07-2929 June 1857, 16 August 1857, 25 September 1857	Oonao, India Bithoor, India Lucknow, India
Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery	1857-11-1414 November 1857 to 22 November 1857	Lucknow, India
03232nd Regiment of Foot	1857-07-077 July 1857, 26 September 1857	Lucknow, India
01414th Light Dragoons	1858-04-011 April 1858	Betwa, India
07272nd Bengal Native Infantry	1858-05-2323 May 1858	Calpee, India
09393rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2525 September 1857	Lucknow, India
0011st Madras European Fusiliers	1857-09-2121 September 1857	Mungulwar, India
Bengal Civil Service	1857-07-3030 July 1857	Arrah, India
Royal Regiment of Artillery	1857-09-2525 September 1857	Lucknow, India
Indian Naval BrigadeIndian Naval Brigade	1857-11-2222 November 1857	Dacca, India
09393rd Regiment of Foot	1858-03-1111 March 1858	Lucknow, India
Bengal Civil Service	1857-07-3030 July 1857	Arrah, India
0011st Bengal Fusiliers	1857-06-2323 June 1857	Delhi, India
0011st Bengal Fusiliers	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
0055th Regiment of Foot	1857-10-022 October 1857, 22 December 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Artillery	1857-11-1414 November 1857 to 22 November 1857	Lucknow, India
0055th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2626 September 1857	Lucknow, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2525 September 1857	Lucknow, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2626 September 1857	Lucknow, India
09595th Regiment of Foot	1858-01-066 January 1858	Rowa, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1859-01-1515 January 1859	Maylah Ghat, India
Bengal Ordnance Depot	1857-10-2828 October 1857	Agra, India
0022nd Dragoon Guards	1858-10-088 October 1858	Jamo, India
02323rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1818 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Military TrainMilitary Train	1858-04-1515 April 1858	Azumgurh, India
09393rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Military TrainMilitary Train	1858-04-1515 April 1858	Azumgurh, India
08484th Regiment of Foot	1857-07-1212 July 1857 to 25 September 1857	Lucknow, India
01313th Regiment of Foot	1858-04-066 April 1858	Azumgurh, India
Rifle BrigadeRifle Brigade	1858-03-1111 March 1858	Lucknow, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1858-03-1919 March 1858	Lucknow, India
Bengal Artillery	1857-09-2525 September 1857	Lucknow, India
03232nd Regiment of Foot	1857-06-3030 June 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Artillery	1857-11-1414 November 1857 to 22 November 1857	Lucknow, India
09393rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
08686th Regiment of Foot	1858-04-033 April 1858	Jhansi, India
0088th King's Royal Irish Hussars	1858-06-1717 June 1858	Gwalior, India
01111th Bengal Native Infantry	1857-05-3030 May 1857 to 18 September 1857	Delhi, India
Madras Engineers	1857-11-2121 November 1857	Mundisore, India
0022nd Punjab Cavalry	185-00-001857 to 1858	Agra, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-06-1919 June 1857	Delhi, India
05353rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1717 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Veterans Establishment	1857-05-1111 May 1857	Delhi, India
06161st Regiment of Foot	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
09090th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2121 September 1857, 25 September 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Horse Artillery	1857-09-1616 September 1857	Delhi, India
03434th Regiment of Foot	1859-04-2727 April 1859	Kewane Trans-Gogra, India
Bengal Horse Artillery	1858-01-022 January 1858	Khodagunge, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1857-09-2828 September 1857	Bolandshahr, India
Naval Brigade	1858-03-1313 March 1858	Lucknow, India
Bengal Army	1858-09-2727 September 1858	Kuthirga, India
07171st Regiment of Foot	1858-06-1616 June 1858	Marar, India
03737th Bengal Native Infantry	1857-06-044 June 1857	Benares, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1858-03-1919 March 1858	Lucknow, India
0011st Madras European Fusiliers	1857-09-2626 September 1857	Lucknow, India
101101st Regiment of Foot	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
Bengal Sappers and Miners	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
Naval Brigade	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Rifle Brigade	1858-06-1313 June 1858	Lucknow, India
06060th Bengal Native Infantry	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1858-04-1515 April 1858	Fort Ruhya, India
08484th Regiment of Foot	1857-10-066 October 1857	Lucknow, India
Corps ofCorps of Royal Engineers	1858-04-033 April 1858	Jhansi, India
05252nd Regiment of Foot	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
0011st Madras European Fusiliers	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Sappers and Miners	1857-09-1414 September 1857	Delhi, India
0099th Queen's Royal Lancers	1858-01-1717 January 1858	Shunsabad, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1858-04-1515 April 1858	Fort Ruhya, India
09393rd Regiment of Foot	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India
06060th Rifles	1857-08-022 August 1857 to 13 September 1857	Delhi, India
Bengal Sappers and Miners	1857-09-1616 September 1857	Delhi, India
Bengal Artillery	1857-09-2727 September 1857	Lucknow, India
04242nd Regiment of Foot	1858-04-155 April 1858	Fort Ruhya, India
06060th Rifles	1857-07-099 July 1857	Lucknow, India
Bengal Horse Artillery	1857-07-099 July 1857	Delhi, India
0022nd Bengal Native Infantry	1857-07-00July 1857	Indore, India
06060th Rifles	1857-06-1919 June 1857	Delhi, India
06666th Bengal Native Infantry	1858-02-1010 February 1858	Choorpoorah, India
07575th Regiment of Foot	1857-07-1717 July 1857	Delhi, India
06060th Rifles	1857-09-1414 September 1857, 18 September 1857	Delhi, India
02525th Bombay Light Infantry	1858-06-2020 June 1858	Gwalior, India
07878th Regiment of Foot	1857-09-2525 September 1857	Lucknow, India
0088th King's Royal Irish Hussars	1858-06-1717 June 1858	Gwalior, India
0033rd Bombay European Regiment	1857-11-1414 November 1857	Lucknow, India
0011st Punjab Cavalry	1858-04-033 April 1858, 2 May 1858	Jhansi, India Lohari, India
Rifle Brigade	1858-03-1111 March 1858	Lucknow, India
01717th Lancers	1858-10-1919 October 1858	Sinwaho, India
Naval Brigade	1857-11-1616 November 1857	Lucknow, India

References

SpecificGeneral

• Victoria Cross Registers. National Archives (UK). .
• Honourable East India Company and Indian Army holders of the Victoria Cross. VictoriaCross.org. .
• Ashcroft, Michael Victoria Cross Heroes. Headline Book Publishing.
• From Plassey to Partition: A History of Modern India. New Delhi and London: Orient Longmans..
• Bayly, C. A. Indian Society and the Making of the British Empire (The New Cambridge History of India). Cambridge and London: Cambridge University Press.
• Modern South Asia: History, Culture, Political Economy. London and New York: Routledge.
• Crook, M.J. The Evolution of the Victoria Cross. Midas books.