Edward Spence
Private, 42nd Regiment
- Register No.
- 1175 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 42nd Regiment (register: 42nd Regiment of Foot) all 42nd Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 15 April 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 27th May 1859. On 15th January 1907 it appeared again on this day → all of 1859 →
- Born
- 28th December, 1837 at Dumfries, Scotland
- Memorial / grave
- Buried in unmarked grave at Ruhya, Oude, India
- Medal held by
- the Black Watch Museum, Balhousie Castle,
Digest of citation
During the attack at Ford Ruhya on 15th April 1858, during the Indian Mutiny, Privates Spence volunteered along with Lance-Corporal Thompson and others, to assist Captain Cafe, Commanding the 4th Punjab Rifles, in bringing in the body of Lieutenant Willoughby from the top of a glacis *. Privates Spence fearlessly, by placing himself in an exposed position, covered the party of men as they carried the Lieutenant's body away. are fully exposed to the fire of the defenders
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
SPENCE, Edward. (reg No. 1175).
Private. 42nd Regiment. * London Gazetted on the 27th May, 1859 and 15th January 1907.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Black Watch Museum, Balhousie Castle, Perth, Scotland.
Born on 28th December, 1837 at Dumfries, Scotland.
Died of his wounds on 17th April, 1858, received in the action, during which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Buried in unmarked grave at Ruhya, Oude, India.
Digest of Citation reads: During the attack at Ford Ruhya on 15th April 1858, during the Indian Mutiny, Privates Spence volunteered along with Lance-Corporal Thompson and others, to assist Captain Cafe, Commanding the 4th Punjab Rifles, in bringing in the body of Lieutenant Willoughby from the top of a glacis *. Privates Spence fearlessly, by placing himself in an exposed position, covered the party of men as they carried the Lieutenant's body away.
* Black Watch, the Royal Highlanders.
* Glacis, a slope down from a fortification, where the attackers are fully exposed to the fire of the defenders.
Additional information:. The account of his bravery was formally Gazetted on 27th May 1859. On 15th January 1907 it appeared again in the Gazette, along with Coghill and Melvill of the Zulu War. It was stated that had he survived he would have been awarded the Victoria Cross by her Majesty Queen Victoria. Privates Spence's representatives received the Victoria Cross from King Edward VII. Captain Cafe and Lance-Corporal Thompson also received the Victoria Cross.
Additional information
The account of his bravery was formally
* Black Watch, the Royal Highlanders.
* Glacis, a slope down from a fortification, where the attackers
Perth, Scotland.
Died of his wounds on 17th April, 1858, received in the action,
during which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
in the Gazette, along with Coghill and Melvill of the Zulu War.
It was stated that had he survived he would have been awarded
the Victoria Cross by her Majesty Queen Victoria. Privates Spence's
representatives received the Victoria Cross from King Edward VII.
Captain Cafe and Lance-Corporal Thompson also received the Victoria
Cross.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Buried in unmarked grave at Ruhya, Oude, India
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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