Joel Holmes VC (c. 1821 – 27 July 1872) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces.

Details

He was about 36 years old, and a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

in the 84th Regiment (later The

2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment The 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army created in 1881 by the redesignation of the 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot in 1881. The battalion was in existence from 1881 until 1948, when ...

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

during the

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

when the following deed took place on 25 September 1857 at

Lucknow Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

for which he was awarded the VC.

Private Joel Holmes
For distinguished conduct in volunteering to assist in working a gun of Captain Maude's Battery, under heavy fire, from which gun nearly all the artillerymen had been shot away. (Extract from Field Force Orders of the late Major-General Havelock, dated 17 October 1857.)

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The York & Lancaster Regiment Museum at

Rotherham Rotherham () is a large minster and market town in South Yorkshire, England. The town takes its name from the River Rother which then merges with the River Don. The River Don then flows through the town centre. It is the main settlement of ...

South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham. In N ...

, England.

References

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(West Yorkshire)'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Joel 1820s births 1872 deaths Military personnel from Halifax, West Yorkshire British recipients of the Victoria Cross York and Lancaster Regiment soldiers Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Burials in West Yorkshire