THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO MAJOR GENERAL HENRY JEROME OF THE 86TH REGIMENT HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE LORD ASHCROFT VC COLLECTION. |
---|
9 October 2012 |
The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Major General Henry Jerome, 86th ( Royal County Down ) Regiment, later the Royal Irish Rifles, have been acquired by the Michael Ashcroft Trust, the holding institution for the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection. Included with the Victoria Cross is Henry Jerome's service sword, used in all three of his VC actions, and an engraved silver plated cup inscribed with details of Jerome's Indian Mutiny service. The Henry Jerome VC group will be displayed in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum, London. |
For the award of the Victoria Cross ( Gazetted as Brevet-Major, 19th Regiment ( 1st Yorkshire North Riding Regiment )) [ London Gazette, 11 November 1859 ], Jhansi, Chandairee & Jumna, Indian Mutiny, Captain Henry Edward Jerome, 86th ( Royal County Down ) Regiment, ( later the Royal Irish Rifles )
For conspicuous gallantry at Jhansi, on the 3rd April 1858, in having, with the assistance of Private Byrne, removed, under a very heavy fire, Lieutenant Sewell, of the 86th Regiment, who was severely wounded, at a very exposed point of the attack upon the Fort. ; also, for gallant conduct at the capture of the Fort of Chandairee, the storming of Jhansi, and in action with a superior Rebel Force on the Jumna, on the 28th of May 1858, when he was severely wounded.
Henry Jerome was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on the 4th January 1860.
Henry Jerome was transferred as a Brevet Major to the 19th Regiment ( 1st Yorkshire North Riding Regiment ) and took part in the Hazara Expedition where he earned his "North West Frontier" clasp on his India General Service Medal. From 1876 to 1884 he served on the staff in Britain and retired in 1885 with the rank of Major General. Jerome died on the 25th February 1901 at his home in Bath and was buried in the city's Landsdown Cemetery. In March 2006 it was reported that Jerome's headstone, made of a rare Indian rose granite, had been badly damaged by vandalism. However, it was later discovered that the damage was probably caused by over enthusiastic cemetery workers. |
Iain Stewart, 9 October 2012