Crimean War Victoria Cross Recipient. A native of Ireland, he received the award from British Queen Victoria on August 8, 1858 at Portsmouth, Hampshire, England for his actions as a captain in the 18th Regiment of Foot (later the Royal Irish Regiment) of the British Army at Sebastopol, Crimean Peninsula on June 18, 1855 during the Crimean War. Born at Pembrokestown, County Waterford, Ireland, he joined the 18th Regiment of Foot and was assigned to British India. In 1852 he participated in the 2nd Anglo-Burmese War and then served with British Army in Crimea. He later attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and in addition to the Victoria Cross, he was awarded the India General Service Medal (with "Pegu" clasp), the Crimea Medal (with "Sebastopol" clasp), and the Turkish Crimea Medal. He died from an eye infection received as a result of a hunting accident at the age of 43. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On 18 June 1855 at Sebastopol, Crimean Peninsula, after being engaged in the attack on the Redan, Captain Esmonde repeatedly assisted, at great personal risk, in rescuing wounded men from exposed situations. Also, on 20 June while in command of a covering party he rushed to a spot where a fireball from the enemy had just lodged, and extinguished it before it could betray the position of his men, thus saving the party from a murderous fire of shell and grape which was immediately opened where the fireball had fallen." His Victoria Cross and other medals are on loan to the British Imperial War Museum in London, England.
Crimean War Victoria Cross Recipient. A native of Ireland, he received the award from British Queen Victoria on August 8, 1858 at Portsmouth, Hampshire, England for his actions as a captain in the 18th Regiment of Foot (later the Royal Irish Regiment) of the British Army at Sebastopol, Crimean Peninsula on June 18, 1855 during the Crimean War. Born at Pembrokestown, County Waterford, Ireland, he joined the 18th Regiment of Foot and was assigned to British India. In 1852 he participated in the 2nd Anglo-Burmese War and then served with British Army in Crimea. He later attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and in addition to the Victoria Cross, he was awarded the India General Service Medal (with "Pegu" clasp), the Crimea Medal (with "Sebastopol" clasp), and the Turkish Crimea Medal. He died from an eye infection received as a result of a hunting accident at the age of 43. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On 18 June 1855 at Sebastopol, Crimean Peninsula, after being engaged in the attack on the Redan, Captain Esmonde repeatedly assisted, at great personal risk, in rescuing wounded men from exposed situations. Also, on 20 June while in command of a covering party he rushed to a spot where a fireball from the enemy had just lodged, and extinguished it before it could betray the position of his men, thus saving the party from a murderous fire of shell and grape which was immediately opened where the fireball had fallen." His Victoria Cross and other medals are on loan to the British Imperial War Museum in London, England.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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