John Kirk
Private, 10th Regiment
- Register No.
- 700 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 10th Regiment (register: 10th Regiment of Foot) all 10th Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 4 June 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 20th January, 1860 on this day → all of 1860 →
- Born
- in July 1827 at Liverpool, Lancashire
- Died
- 30th August, 1865 at Liverpool, Lancashire
- Memorial / grave
- at Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool
Digest of citation
For daring gallantry shown at Benares, India, Private Kirk, on 4th June 1857, volunteered along with Sergeant-Major P. Gill (reg No. 451) and Sergeant-Major M.Rosamund (reg No. 1082 ) to rescue the Pension Paymaster, Captain Brown and his family, who were surrounded by rebels in the compound of their bungalow. He succeeded, at the risk of his own life, in helping to rescue them
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
KIRK, John. (reg No. 700).
Private. 10th Regiment * London Gazetted on 20th January, 1860.
Born in July 1827 at Liverpool, Lancashire.
Died on 30th August, 1865 at Liverpool, Lancashire.
Memorial on grave at Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.
Digest of Citation reads: For daring gallantry shown at Benares, India, Private Kirk, on 4th June 1857, volunteered along with Sergeant-Major P. Gill (reg No. 451) and Sergeant-Major M.Rosamund (reg No. 1082 ) to rescue the Pension Paymaster, Captain Brown and his family, who were surrounded by rebels in the compound of their bungalow. He succeeded, at the risk of his own life, in helping to rescue them.
* Lincolnshire Regiment.
Additional information:. Private Kirk was presented with the Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. More to add from 'History of the 10th Regiment'
Additional information
Private Kirk was presented with the Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. More to add from 'History of the 10th Regiment'
* Lincolnshire Regiment.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool
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 John Kirk by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.