James Gorman
Seaman, Royal Navy (Naval Brigade.)
- Register No.
- 465 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Seaman all Seamans →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (Naval Brigade.) all Naval Brigade VCs →
- Date of action
- 5 November 1854 on this day → all of 1854 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Crimean War
- London Gazette
- 24th February 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Born
- 21st August 1834 at Islington, London
- Died
- 18th October, 1882 on Spectacle Island, Parramatta River,
- Memorial / grave
- on the War Memorial in Old Pioneers Park, Liechardt, Sydney
Digest of citation
On 5th November 1854 at the Battle of Inkerman, Crimea, when the Right Lancaster Battery was attacked and many of the soldiers were wounded, Seaman Gorman, with two other seamen * and two others who were killed during the action, mounted the defence work Banquette and, under withering attack from the enemy, kept up a rapid, repulsing fire. Their muskets were reloaded for them by the wounded soldiers under the parapets and eventually the enemy full-back and gave no more trouble
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
GORMAN, James. (reg No. 465).
Seaman. Royal Navy (Naval Brigade.)
London Gazetted on 24th February 1857.
Born on 21st August 1834 at Islington, London.
Died on 18th October, 1882 on Spectacle Island, Parramatta River, Sydney, Australia.
Memorial is on the War Memorial in Old Pioneers Park, Liechardt, Sydney.
Digest of Citation reads: On 5th November 1854 at the Battle of Inkerman, Crimea, when the Right Lancaster Battery was attacked and many of the soldiers were wounded, Seaman Gorman, with two other seamen * and two others who were killed during the action, mounted the defence work Banquette and, under withering attack from the enemy, kept up a rapid, repulsing fire. Their muskets were reloaded for them by the wounded soldiers under the parapets and eventually the enemy full-back and gave no more trouble.
* T Reeves (reg No. 1034) and M. Scholefield (reg No. 1116) .
Additional information:. Gorman was later promoted to Captain of the After Guard. It is noted that the two other seamen, who were killed during the action, remain unrecognised. Their part in this action was every bit as brave as the others but the Victoria Cross, at that time, was not awarded posthumously. The following information was sent by Letter from Sir S. Lushington dated 7th June 1856 At the Battle of Inkerman, on the 5th November 1854, when the Right Lancaster Battery was attacked; five men of the Royal Navy, under heavy enemy fire, mounted the Banquet and using muskets belonging to disabled soldiers kept up a steady firing. Other troops, below the parapet, kept the muskets loaded for them. Two of these men were killed in the action. The surviving three, Thomas Reeves, James GORMAN and Mark Scholefield, all seamen, were awarded the Victoria Cross for the bravery displayed on that occasion. Unfortunately the two others that gave their lives in the action and, whose names are not known, got no official recognition as the Victoria Cross, at that time, was not awarded posthumously.
Additional information
Gorman was later promoted to Captain of the After Guard. It is noted that the two other seamen, who were killed during the action, remain unrecognised. Their part in this action was every bit as brave as the others but the Victoria Cross, at that time, was not awarded posthumously. The following information was sent by Letter from Sir S. Lushington dated 7th June 1856 At the Battle of Inkerman, on the 5th November 1854, when the Right Lancaster Battery was attacked; five men of the Royal Navy, under heavy enemy fire, mounted the Banquet and using muskets belonging to disabled soldiers kept up a steady firing. Other troops, below the parapet, kept the muskets loaded for them. Two of these men were killed in the action. The surviving three, Thomas Reeves, James GORMAN and Mark Scholefield, all seamen, were awarded the Victoria Cross for the bravery displayed on that occasion. Unfortunately the two others that gave their lives in the action and, whose names are not known, got no official recognition as the Victoria Cross, at that time, was not awarded posthumously.
* T Reeves (reg No. 1034) and M. Scholefield (reg No. 1116) .
Sydney, Australia.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: on the War Memorial in Old Pioneers Park, Liechardt, Sydney
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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