Walter Richard Pollock Hamilton
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Walter Richard Pollock Hamilton VC (18 August 1856-3 September 1879) was born Inistioge, County Kilkenny 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 forces.
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[edit] Details
He was 22 years old, and a lieutenant in the Staff Corps and Corps of Guides, Indian Army during the Second Afghan War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 2 April 1879 at Futtehabad, Afghanistan, Lieutenant Hamilton led a charge of the Guide Cavalry against very superior numbers of the enemy. When his commanding officer fell, the lieutenant, the only officer left with the regiment, assumed command and cheered his men on to avenge the death of the commanding officer. In this charge, seeing that a sowar was down, entangled with his dead horse and being attacked by three of the enemy, Lieutenant Hamilton rushed to the rescue, cutting down all three and saving the life of the sowar.
He is featured in M. M. Kaye's epic novel The Far Pavilions.
[edit] Memorials
Hamilton died on September 3, 1879 in Kabul. The statue is now on display in the National Army Museum, Chelsea, and a plaque from Punjab Frontier Force Chapel is now housed in the sanctum crypt of St. Lukes Chapel, Chelsea.
[edit] References
Listed in order of publication year
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
- The Irish Sword (Brian Clarke 1986)
- Irelands VCs ISBN 1-899243-00-3 (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
