Henry Ward
Private, 78th Regiment
- Register No.
- 1269 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 78th Regiment (register: 78th Regiment of Foot) all 78th Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 25 September 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 18th June 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Born
- in 1826 at Harleston, Norfolk
- Died
- 21st September, 1867 at Great Malvern, Worcestershire
- Memorial / grave
- the War Memorial, Harleston, Norfolk
Digest of citation
At Lucknow, India, on the 25th and 26th September, 1857, Private Ward stayed with a dhooly in which an officer of the 10th Foot, Lieutenant H M Havelock and a Private Thomas Pilkington of the 78th had taken refuge. Private Ward remained at the side of the dhooly, in spite of a very heavy crossfire of Ordnance and musketry, and by his example inspired the bearers to carry their double load through the heavy fire. He encouraged them with the same calm and sturdiness as if they were parading. They got the wounded men to the safety of the Baillie Guard, thus saving the lives of both wounded men
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
WARD, Henry. (reg No. 1269).
Private. 78th Regiment * London Gazetted on 18th June 1858.
Born in 1826 at Harleston, Norfolk.
Died on 21st September, 1867 at Great Malvern, Worcestershire.
Memorials at the War Memorial, Harleston, Norfolk.
Digest of Citation reads: At Lucknow, India, on the 25th and 26th September, 1857, Private Ward stayed with a dhooly in which an officer of the 10th Foot, Lieutenant H M Havelock and a Private Thomas Pilkington of the 78th had taken refuge. Private Ward remained at the side of the dhooly, in spite of a very heavy crossfire of Ordnance and musketry, and by his example inspired the bearers to carry their double load through the heavy fire. He encouraged them with the same calm and sturdiness as if they were parading. They got the wounded men to the safety of the Baillie Guard, thus saving the lives of both wounded men.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: the War Memorial, Harleston, Norfolk
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