John Lucas (VC)
Encyclopedia
John Lucas VC
(1826 – 4 March 1892) was born in Glasgomy, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow
and was an Irish
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
and Commonwealth
forces.
(later part of the South Lancashire Regiment - The Prince of Wales's Volunteers) of the British Army
:
The action was part of the First Taranaki War
during the New Zealand Wars
. This campaign started over a disputed land sale at Waitara
. In December 1860 British forces under Major-General Pratt
carried out sapping operations against a major Māori defensive line called Te Arei ("The barrier") on the west side of the Waitara River
and inland from Waitara, which was barring the way to the historic hill pā of Pukewairangi. The 18th of March was the last day before a truce was declared.
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(1826 – 4 March 1892) was born in Glasgomy, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow
County Carlow
County Carlow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow. Carlow County Council is the local authority for the county...
and was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Lucas was approximately 35 years old, and a colour-sergeant in the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot
The 40th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1717 and amalgamated into The Prince of Wales's Volunteers in 1881.-Formation:...
(later part of the South Lancashire Regiment - The Prince of Wales's Volunteers) of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
:
The action was part of the First Taranaki War
First Taranaki War
The First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
during the New Zealand Wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
. This campaign started over a disputed land sale at Waitara
Waitara, New Zealand
Waitara is the name of a town and a river in the northern part of the Taranaki Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Waitara is located just off State Highway 3, 15 km northeast of New Plymouth....
. In December 1860 British forces under Major-General Pratt
Thomas Simson Pratt
Sir Thomas Simson Pratt was a British Army general. He served in the First Anglo-Chinese War , in India from 1843 to 1855 where he was deputy adjutant-general at Madras, and was Commander of the British Forces in Australia from 1856 to 1861...
carried out sapping operations against a major Māori defensive line called Te Arei ("The barrier") on the west side of the Waitara River
Waitara River
The source of the Waitara River lies in the very steep hill country to the east of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, near Tahora. After proceeding in a southwesterly direction toward Central Taranaki, the river abruptly turns to flow in a northeasterly direction to the Tasman Sea: meeting it at the coastal...
and inland from Waitara, which was barring the way to the historic hill pā of Pukewairangi. The 18th of March was the last day before a truce was declared.
Further information
He later achieved the rank of sergeant-major. He died in Dublin on 29 February 1892 and is buried there in St. James churchyardSt. James' Church and Cemetery
St. James' Church , a former Church of Ireland church in James Street, Dublin, Ireland, was established in 1707. The corresponding parish, which was separated from that of nearby St. Catherine's, was established in 1710. There had been a shrine dedicated to St. James at nearby St...
.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Dublin)