Walter Richard Pollock Hamilton VC

Name: Walter Richard Pollock Hamilton

Conflict: Afghan War

Gazetted: September 1, 1879

Service: Indian Army

Place/date of birth: Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, Ireland/August 18, 1856

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

Date of bravery: April 2, 1879

London Gazette citation:

Bengal Staff Corps. Lieutenant Walter Richard Pollock Hamilton.

For conspicuous gallantry during the action at Futtehabad on the 2nd April, 1879, in leading on the Guide Cavalry in a charge against very superior numbers of the enemy, and particularly at a critical moment when his Commanding Officer (Major Wigram Battye) fell, Lieutenant Hamilton, then the only Officer left with the Regiment, assumed command and cheered on his men to avenge Major Battye’s death.

In this charge Lieutenant Hamilton, seeing Sowar Dowlut Ram down, and attacked by three of the enemy, whilst entangled with his horse (which had been killed) rushed to the rescue, and followed by a few of his men cut down all three and saved the life of Sowar Dowlut Ram.

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Other decorations: N/A

Place/date of death:  Kabul, Afghanistan/September 3, 1879

Grave/memorials: St Canice’s Cathedral, Co Kilkenny, Ireland; Inistioge Church, Co Kilkenny, Ireland; St Paul’s Cathedral, London; Kildare Street Museum, Dublin, Ireland;  Horse Show, Hall, Dublin, Ireland; St Luke’s Church, Chelsea, London; Christ Church, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; National Army Museum, London; Felstead School, Essex

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Spink, London, 1998

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