James John McLeod Innes

James John McLeod Innes VC CB (February 5 1830-December 13 1907) was a Scottish 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.

He was 28 years old, and a lieutenant in the Bengal Engineers, Indian Army during the Indian Mutiny. On 23 February 1858 at Sultanpore, India, Lieutenant Innes, far in advance of the leading skirmishers, was the first to secure a gun which the enemy were abandoning. They then rallied round another gun from which the shot would have ploughed through our advancing columns. Lieutenant Innes rode up, unsupported, shot the gunner and remained at his post keeping the enemy at bay until assistance reached him.

He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant General.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum "(Chatham, England)".

References

*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)

External links

* [http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_his_vc.htm#1i Royal Engineers Museum] Sappers VCs
* [http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/cambridg.htm Location of grave and VC medal] "(Cambridgeshire)"
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8026647 Find-A-Grave]