irish v.c 1857

Robert Hawthorne was born in the village of Maghera, in County Londonderry, although his birthplace was mistakenly called ‘Moghera’ in the Historical Record of the 52nd.tedtoy

He won the Victoria Cross during the Indian Mutiny, which broke out in 1857 following a rumour that greased cartridges used by the army were smeared with the fat of sacred cows and “unclean” pigs – thereby alienating the Hindu and Moslem sepoys and uniting them against the British.

The rising was followed by hideous cruelty - the European officers being treacherously shot, while hundreds of women and children were ruthlessly massacred. Delhi soon fell into the hands of the insurgents, while Lucknow and Cawnpore were besieged.

The 52nd Light Infantry, which had been one of the few regular units in India at the start of the Mutiny, was heavily-involved in the suppression of the mutineers – the re-capture of Delhi being one of the most famous episodes in that conflict.

The assault began on 14th September 1857 with the blowing-up of the Kashmir gate by an advanced explosives party comprising Lieutenant Philip Salkeld, Lieutenant Duncan Charles Home, Sergeant John Smith and Bugler Robert Hawthorne of the 52nd. Bugler Hawthorne was awarded the VC for conspicuous gallantry for his role in the blowing up of the gate in broad daylight preparatory to the assault, coolly sounding the advance under intense musket fire from the walls as the explosive charges were detonated, and then rescuing Lieutenant Salkeld, who had been badly wounded.

Bugler Hawthorne died in Manchester on 2nd February 1879, his grave being in Ardwick Cemetery. Hawthorne Road in Maghera commemorates the local VC winner – one of no less than 52 Irish VCs in the Indian Mutiny.