Herbert Taylor Reade
Surgeon, 61st Regiment
- Register No.
- 1029 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Surgeon all Surgeons →
- Unit
- 61st Regiment (register: 61st Regiment of Foot) all 61st Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 14 September 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 5th February 1861 on this day → all of 1861 →
- Born
- 20th September 1828 at Perth, Canada
- Died
- the 23rd June, 1897 at Bath, Somerset
- Memorial / grave
- at Locksbrook Cemetery, Bath
Digest of citation
During the Siege of Delhi, India, on 14th September 1857, Surgeon Reade was attending to the wounded, at the end of one of the the city's streets, when a party of rebels advanced, from the direction of the Bank, towards where he was working. Having established a position, they started firing from the roofs of the nearby houses. This placed the wounded in extreme danger and susceptible to falling into enemy hands. Surgeon Reade called upon the few soldiers that were there, around 10 in all , and drawing his sword led them, under extremely heavy fire from the rebels, towards their positions and dislodged them. Two of his own men were killed and five or six wounded. Two days later, at the assault on Delhi, Surgeon Reade was amongst the first at the breach in the magazine, where he, and a sergeant, spiked one of the enemy's guns
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
READE, Herbert Taylor. (reg No. 1029).
Surgeon. 61st Regiment. * London Gazetted on 5th February 1861.
Born on 20th September 1828 at Perth, Canada.
Died on the 23rd June, 1897 at Bath, Somerset.
Memorial on grave at Locksbrook Cemetery, Bath..
Digest of Citation reads: During the Siege of Delhi, India, on 14th September 1857, Surgeon Reade was attending to the wounded, at the end of one of the the city's streets, when a party of rebels advanced, from the direction of the Bank, towards where he was working. Having established a position, they started firing from the roofs of the nearby houses. This placed the wounded in extreme danger and susceptible to falling into enemy hands. Surgeon Reade called upon the few soldiers that were there, around 10 in all , and drawing his sword led them, under extremely heavy fire from the rebels, towards their positions and dislodged them. Two of his own men were killed and five or six wounded. Two days later, at the assault on Delhi, Surgeon Reade was amongst the first at the breach in the magazine, where he, and a sergeant, spiked one of the enemy's guns.
* Gloucestershire Regiment.
Additional information:. Surgeon-General Reade was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He was Principal Medical Officer of the Southern District from 1886 to his retirement in 1887. In 1895 he was the Hon. Surgeon to Queen Victoria.
Additional information
Surgeon-General Reade was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He was Principal Medical Officer of the Southern District from 1886 to his retirement in 1887. In 1895 he was the Hon. Surgeon to Queen Victoria.
* Gloucestershire Regiment.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Locksbrook Cemetery, Bath
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.
Research this recipient further
Would you like to honour Herbert Taylor Reade by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.