John Berryman (VC)
John Berryman | |
|---|---|
 John Berryman | |
| Born | 18 July 1825 Dudley, England |
| Died | 27 June 1896 (aged 70) Woldingham, England |
| Buried | St Agatha's Churchyard, Woldingham |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | 17th Lancers 5th Lancers |
| Battles / wars | Crimean War Indian Mutiny Anglo-Zulu War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
John Berryman VC (18 July 1825 – 27 June 1896) was a British Army non-commissioned officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Born in Dudley, England, the son of a pub landlord, he enlisted in the 17th Lancers in May 1848 and served with the regiment throughout the Crimean War.[1]
Victoria Cross action
[edit]Berriman was a 29 years old Troop Sergeant-Major in the 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 October 1854 at Balaclava, Crimea, (see Charge of the Light Brigade) Troop Sergeant-Major Berryman, whose horse had been shot under him, stopped on the field with a wounded officer amidst a storm of shot and shell. Two sergeants (John Farrell and Joseph Malone) came to his assistance and between them they carried the wounded officer out of range of the guns. On a previous occasion Berryman had captured three Russian prisoners.[2][3]
Berryman was invested with his VC by Queen Victoria in Hyde Park, London on 26 June 1857.[1]
Further career
[edit]After serving in the Indian Mutiny in 1858, Berryman was made Regimental sergeant major of the 17th lancers in 1860,[1] and commissioned as a lieutenant and quartermaster in 1864.[4] He was with the regiment during the Zulu War in 1879.[1] In May 1880 he transferred to the 5th lancers as quartermaster,[5] receiving promotion to honorary captain in July 1881.[6] He retired with the rank of honorary major in July 1883.[7]
He died at Woldingham, Surrey in 1896 and is buried there in St Agatha's Churchyard.[8]
His VC is not publicly owned.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Biographic Profile". VC & GC Association. 7 February 2025.
- ^ "No. 21971". The London Gazette. 24 February 1857. p. 655.
- ^ Brighton, Terry, Hell Riders: the Truth about the Charge of the Light Brigade. London: Penguin, 2005 ISBN 0-14-101831-3.
- ^ "No. 7423". The Edinburgh Gazette. 15 April 1864. p. 510.
- ^ "No. 24845". The London Gazette. 18 May 1880. p. 3068.
- ^ "No. 25007". The London Gazette. 23 August 1881. p. 4346.
- ^ "No. 25253". The London Gazette. 24 July 1883. p. 3700.
- ^ a b "Grave Locations for Holders of the Victoria Cross in the county of Surrey". victoriacross.org.uk. 7 February 2025.
External links
[edit]- Location of grave and VC medal (Surrey)
- 1825 births
- 1896 deaths
- Military personnel from the West Midlands (county)
- People from Dudley
- British recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Crimean War recipients of the Victoria Cross
- British Army personnel of the Crimean War
- 17th Lancers soldiers
- 17th Lancers officers
- 5th Royal Irish Lancers officers
- British Army personnel of the Anglo-Zulu War
- British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Burials in Surrey