VICTORIA CROSS
FORFEITURES
There have been eight occasions, between 1861 and 1908, when Rule 15 (1856) has been invoked.
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BAMBRICK: Valentine
Born: 13 April 1837, Cawnpore, India
Died: 1 April 1864 (26), Pentonville Prison, London
Service: Private, 1st Battalion, 60th Regiment (Kings Royal Rifle Corps)
VC Action: 6 May 1858, Bareilly, India. For conspicuous bravery, when in a Serai, was attacked by three Ghazees, one of whom he cut down. He was wounded twice on this occasion.
Forfeit Date: 3 December 1863. Convicted of assault and theft of comrades medals.
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COLLIS: James
Born: 19 April 1856, Cambridge, England
Died: 28 June 1918 (62), Battersea, London
Service: Gunner, Royal Horse Artillery
VC Action: 28 July 1880, Afghanistan. During retreat from Maiwand to Kandahar, when the officer
commanding the battery was trying to bring in the gun carriage with wounded men, under cross fire, Gunner
Collis ran forward and drew the enemy's fire on himself, thus taking their attention away from the gun carriage.
Forfeit Date: 18 November 1895. Convicted of bigamy.
CORBETT: Frederick
Born: 17 September 1853, Maldon, Essex, England
Died: 25 September 1912 (59), Maldon, Essex, England
Service: Private, 3rd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
VC Action: 5 August 1882, Egypt. During reconnaissance, a Lieutenant was mortally wounded; he fell in the open
and there was no time to move him. Private Corbett therefore asked, and obtained permission to remain by him, and
although under constant fire, he at once tried to stop the bleeding of the officers wounds. When order to retreat were
received, Private Corbett helped carry the officer off the field.
Forfeit Date: 30 July 1884. Convicted of embezzlement and theft from an officer.
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DANIEL: Edward St John
Born: 17 January 1837, Bristol, England
Died: 20 May 1868 (31), Hokitika, New Zealand
Service: Midshipman, Royal Navy (Naval Brigade)
VC Action: 18 October 1854, Sebastapol, Crimea. Daniel was one of the volunteers from HMS Diamond, who, under command of Captain W Peel VC, brought in a powder wagon under very heavy fire, a shot having disabled the horses. On November 5 at the battle of Inkerman, he, as ADC to the Captain remained by his side throughout a long and dangerous day. On 18 June 1855 was again with his Captain in the first scaling party at the assault on the Redan, binding up his superior officer's severely wounded arm and taking him back to a place of safety.
Forfeit Date: 4 September 1861. Convicted of desertion and evading court martial.
LANE: Thomas
Born: May 1836, Cork, Ireland
Died: 12 April 1889 (52), Kimberley, South Africa
Service: Private, 67th Regiment
VC Action: 21 August 1860, Taku Forts, China. Private Lane and Lt M Burslem VC, of his regiment displayed great gallantry in swimming the ditches of North Taku Fort and attempting, during the assault and before an entrance had been effected by anyone, to enlarge an opening in the wall, through which they eventually entered. In doing so they were both severely wounded.
Forfeit Date: 7 April 1881. Convicted of desertion on active service and theft of a horse, arms and accoutrements.
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MCGUIRE: James
Born: 1827, Enniskillen, Ireland
Died: 22 December 1862 (34-35), Derry, Ireland
Service: Sergeant, 1st Bengal European Fusiliers
VC Action: 14 September 1857, Delhi, India. When the Brigade had reached the Cabul Gate, the 1st Fusiliers and 75th Regiment, and some Sikhs, were waiting for orders, and some of the Regiments were getting ammunition served out (three boxes of which exploded from some cause not clearly known, and two others were in a state of ignition), when Serjeant McGuire and Drummer Ryan rushed into the burning mass, and, seizing the boxes, threw them, one after the other, over the parapet into the water. The confusion consequent on the explosion was very great, and the crowd of soldiers and native followers, who did not know where the danger lay, were rushing into certain destruction, when Serjeant McGuire and Drummer Ryan, by their coolness and personal daring, saved the lives of many at the risk of their own.
Forfeit Date: Convicted of stealing a cow.
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MURPHY: Michael
Born: 1831, Tipperary, Ireland
Died: 4 April 1893 (55-56), Darlington, England
Service: Farrier, 2nd Battalion, Military Train
VC Action: 15 April 1858, Azimgurh, India. For daring gallantry on the 15th April, 1858, when engaged in the
pursuit of Kooer Singh's Army from Aziraghur, in having rescued Lieutenant Hamilton, Adjutant of the 3rd Sikh
Cavalry, who was wounded, dismounted and surrounded by the enemy. Farrier Murphy cut down several men,
and, although himself severely wounded, he never left Lieutenant Hamilton's side, until support arrived.
Forfeit Date: 5 March 1872. Convicted of theft of 10 bushels of oats.
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RAVENHILL: George
Born: 21 February 1872, Birmingham, England
Died: 14 April 1921 (49), Birmingham, England
Service: Private, Royal Scots Fuseliers
VC Action: 15 December 1899, Colenso, South Africa. Private Ravenhill went several times, under a
heavy fire, from his sheltered position as one of the escort to the guns, to assist the officers and drivers
who" were trying to "withdraw the guns of the 14th and 66th Batteries, Royal Field Artillery, when the detachments serving them had all been killed, wounded, or driven from them by infantry fire at close range, and helped to limber up one of the guns that were saved.
Forfeit Date: 24 August 1908. Convicted of theft of iron.
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