William George Hawtry Bankes VC (11 September 1836 – 6 April 1858) was an

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recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

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

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and Commonwealth forces. He was educated at

Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

, and in 1857 enlisted in the Army. Bankes was 21 years old, and a Cornet in the 7th Hussars (The Queen's Own), British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed on 19 March 1858 at Lucknow in

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 ...

took place for which he was awarded the VC as published in the London Gazette: As Bankes was dying

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

wrote of his plight in a letter to the Princess Royal: Bankes was awarded the VC when the award criteria for the medal was amended to allow posthumous awards.

The Medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum, London. A copy VC is on display alongside his portrait at Kingston Lacy, Dorset, England.

References

Reference
"India"

"Queen's Own Hussars Museum" {{DEFAULTSORT:Bankes, William George Hawtry 1836 births 1858 deaths People educated at Westminster School, London People from Wimborne Minster 7th Queen's Own Hussars officers British recipients of the Victoria Cross Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross British military personnel killed in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross