Miles Ryan
Drummer, 1st Battalion. European Bengal Fusiliers
- Register No.
- 1095 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Drummer all Drummers →
- Unit
- 1st Battalion. European Bengal Fusiliers (register: 1st Bengal European Regiment) all 1st Bengal European Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 14 September 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 24th December 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Born
- in 1826 at Londonderry, Ireland
- Died
- in January 1887, believed to be in Bengal, India
- Memorial / grave
- No known memorial or burial place
- Medal held by
- VC Medal's Custodian not known
Digest of citation
On 14th September 1857, when the brigade had reached the Cabul Gate, during the assault on Delhi. The 1st Fusiliers, the 75th Regiment and some Sikhs were awaiting orders. Some of the Regiments were being issued with ammunition when, from some unknown cause, three boxes of ammunition exploded and two more were in a state of ignition. Drummer Miles and Sergeant McGuire rushed in and picking them up, threw them over the parapet, one at a time, into the water. The explosion had caused great confusion among the troops and native followers, who had no idea where the danger lay, many were running into certain destruction, when Drummer Ryan and Sergeant McGuire, by their coolness and daring, and at great personal risk, had saved many lives
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
RYAN, Miles. (reg No. 1095).
Drummer. 1st Battalion. European Bengal Fusiliers. * London Gazetted on 24th December 1858.
VC Medal's Custodian not known.
Born in 1826 at Londonderry, Ireland.
Died in January 1887, believed to be in Bengal, India. No known memorial or burial place.
Digest of Citation reads: On 14th September 1857, when the brigade had reached the Cabul Gate, during the assault on Delhi. The 1st Fusiliers, the 75th Regiment and some Sikhs were awaiting orders. Some of the Regiments were being issued with ammunition when, from some unknown cause, three boxes of ammunition exploded and two more were in a state of ignition. Drummer Miles and Sergeant McGuire rushed in and picking them up, threw them over the parapet, one at a time, into the water. The explosion had caused great confusion among the troops and native followers, who had no idea where the danger lay, many were running into certain destruction, when Drummer Ryan and Sergeant McGuire, by their coolness and daring, and at great personal risk, had saved many lives.
* Royal Munster Fusiliers.
Additional information:. Regimental number 1874, Drummer Ryan was discharged from service on 16th May 1859 on a pension of one shilling a day. His date and place of his death are a mystery. It is known that he was alive in January 1887 because he was reported in the quarterly army list of the recipients of the Victoria Cross for January 1887. His medal must be in private ownership.
Additional information
Regimental number 1874, Drummer Ryan was discharged from service on 16th May 1859 on a pension of one shilling a day. His date and place of his death are a mystery. It is known that he was alive in January 1887 because he was reported in the quarterly army list of the recipients of the Victoria Cross for January 1887. His medal must be in private ownership.
* Royal Munster Fusiliers.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: No known memorial or burial place
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