George Alexander Renny VC

Name: George Alexander Renny

Conflict: Indian Mutiny

Gazetted: April 12, 1859

Service: Indian Army

Place/date of birth: Riga, Russian Empire (now Latvia)/May 12, 1825

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Lieutenant (later Major General)

Date of bravery: September 16, 1857

London Gazette citation:

Bengal Horse Artillery. Captain George Alexander Renny. Date of Act of Bravery, 16^th September, 1857.

Lieutenant-Colonel Farquhar, Commanding the 1^st Belooch Regiment, reports that he was in command of the troops stationed in the Delhi magazine, after its capture on the 16th of September, 1857. Early in the forenoon of that day, a vigorous attack was made on the post by the enemy, and was kept up with great violence for some time, without the slightest chance of success. Under cover of a heavy cross fire from the high houses on the right flank of the magazine, and from Selinghur and the Palace, the enemy advanced to the high wall of the magazine, and endeavoured to set fire to a thatched roof. The roof was partially set fire to, which was extinguished at the spot by a Sepoy of the Belooch Battalion, a soldier of the 61st Regiment having in vain attempted to do so. The roof having been again set on fire, Captain Renny with great gallantry mounted to the top of the wall of the magazine, and flung several shells with lighted fuzes over into the midst of the enemy, which had an almost immediate effect, as the attack at once became feeble at that point, and soon after ceased there.

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Other decorations: N/A

Place/date of death: Bath, Somerset (now Avon)/January 5, 1887

Grave/memorials: Locksbrook Cemetery, Lowest Weston, Bath, Somerset (now Avon); Freshford Church, Somerset

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Spink, London, 2010

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum