A Victoria Cross recipient’s Indian Mutiny Medal awarded to Private D. Hawkes, Rifle Brigade: he was decorated for conspicuous gallantry at Lucknow on 11 March 1858, when he assisted in carrying a wounded man out of danger under a hot fire, even though severely wounded himself

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (David Hawkes, 2nd Bn. Rifle Bde.) virtually as issued £7000-9000

V.C. London Gazette 24 December 1858, in conjunction with the V.Cs to Captain H. Wilmot and Corporal W. Nash, also of the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, and as originally described in the despatch of Brigadier-General Walpole, C.B., dated 20 March 1858:




‘Captain Wilmot’s company was engaged with a large body of the enemy near the Oron Bridge. That officer found himself at the end of the street with only four of his men, opposed to a considerable body. One of the four was shot through both legs and became utterly helpless; the two men lifted him up, and although Private Hawkes was severely wounded, he carried him for a considerable distance, exposed to the fire of the enemy, Captain Wilmot firing with the men’s rifles, and covering the retreat of the party.’

David Hawkes, who was born at Witham, Essex in 1822, was actually the recipient of a rather unusual V.C., having died at Fyzabad, India on 14 August 1858, prior to his award being formally approved by the Queen, or subsequently announced in The London Gazette. But, as discussed by M. J. Crook in The Evolution of the Victoria Cross, it was ordained that ‘in cases in which the Cross had been provisionally conferred at the time, but the officer or soldier has died prior to confirmation of the grant by H.M., the Cross has, by H.M’s command, been forwarded to the legal representative, or nearest relative, with the expression of the satisfaction which it would have afforded H.M. to confirm the grant, has such officer or soldier survived’ (War Officer letter to Horse Guards refers). And so it was, Hawkes’ V.C. being forwarded to his father on 10 February 1859. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Rifle Brigade Memorial at Winchester Cathedral.

N.B. The recipient’s V.C. was sold at Glendining’s on 25 September 1919, as part of the E. W. Lucas collection (Lot 247).