Charles Colquhoun Pye
Sergeant-Major, 53rd Regiment
- Register No.
- 1011 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant-Major (register: Sergeant Major) all Sergeant-Majors →
- Unit
- 53rd Regiment (register: 53rd Regiment of Foot) all 53rd Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 17 November 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 24th December 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Born
- in 1820 at Forebridge Staffordshire
- Died
- 12th February 1876 at Kirkstall, Victoria, Australia
- Memorial / grave
- at Tower Hill Cemetery, Victoria, Australia
Digest of citation
For steady and fearless conduct whilst under fire at Lucknow, India, on 17th November 1857 whilst bringing up fresh ammunition to the mess house, and on many other occasions when the regiment had been engaged in action. He was elected, for the Victoria Cross, under Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant of 29th January, 1856, by the non-commissioned officers of his regiment
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
PYE, Charles Colquhoun. (reg No. 1011).
Sergeant-Major. 53rd Regiment. * London Gazetted on 24th December 1858.
Born in 1820 at Forebridge Staffordshire .
Died on 12th February 1876 at Kirkstall, Victoria, Australia.
Memorial on grave at Tower Hill Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: For steady and fearless conduct whilst under fire at Lucknow, India, on 17th November 1857 whilst bringing up fresh ammunition to the mess house, and on many other occasions when the regiment had been engaged in action. He was elected, for the Victoria Cross, under Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant of 29th January, 1856, by the non-commissioned officers of his regiment.
* King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
Additional information:. The service career of Captain Pye was rich and varied, serving in the 40th Regiment at Maharajapore on 29th December, 1843 (Bronze Star); with the 21st Regiment, Sutlej Campaign 1845-46, in which he was involved at the Battles of Moodkee, Aliwal and Sobraon. (Medal and Clasps); the 53rd Regiment in the Punjab Campaign (1848-49); on the Peshawar frontier in 1852 against the hill tribes; in the Indian Campaign (1857-59) in action at Khujwah, the Relief of Lucknow, the battle at Cawnpore, pursuit of the Gwalior Contingent, further action at Khodagunge.. more to be added.
Additional information
The service career of Captain Pye was rich and varied, serving in the 40th Regiment at Maharajapore on 29th December, 1843 (Bronze Star); with the 21st Regiment, Sutlej Campaign 1845-46, in which he was involved at the Battles of Moodkee, Aliwal and Sobraon. (Medal and Clasps); the 53rd Regiment in the Punjab Campaign (1848-49); on the Peshawar frontier in 1852 against the hill tribes; in the Indian Campaign (1857-59) in action at Khujwah, the Relief of Lucknow, the battle at Cawnpore, pursuit of the Gwalior Contingent, further action at Khodagunge.. more to be added.
* King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Tower Hill Cemetery, Victoria, Australia
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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