John Barry (VC)

John Barry
Born (1873-02-01)1 February 1873
Kilkenny, Ireland
Died 8 January 1901(1901-01-08) (aged 27)
Monument Hill, Belfast, Transvaal
Buried Belfast Cemetery, Traansvaal
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Years of service 1890-1901 †
Rank Private
Unit The Royal Irish Regiment
Battles/wars
Awards Victoria Cross

John Barry, VC (1 February 1873 – 8 January 1901) born St Mary's parish, Kilkenny, Ireland, 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.

Barry was 27 years old, and a private in the 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment, British Army during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place on 7/8 January 1901 at Monument Hill, South Africa, for which he was (posthumously) awarded the VC:

During the night attack on the 7th and 8th January, 1901, on Monument Hill, Private Barry, although surrounded and threatened by the Boers at the time, smashed the breach of the Maxim gun, thus rendering: it useless to its captors, and it was in doing this splendid act for his country that he met his death.[1][lower-alpha 1]

His VC is on display at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in the Imperial War Museum, London.

References

  1. ↑ On 8 August 1902, as a result of a revision in the policy in the war office which allowed posthumous awards of the Victoria Cross, Private Barry along with other men who had fallen during the recent war in South Africa, in the performance of acts of valour which would in the opinion of the Commander in Chief have entitled them to a Victoria Cross had they survived.
  1. ↑ "No. 27462". The London Gazette. 8 August 1902. p. 5086.

Listed in order of publication year

  • The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
  • Clarke, Brian D. H. (1986). "A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men". The Irish Sword. XVI (64): 185–287.
  • Ireland's VCs ISBN 1-899243-00-3 (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
  • Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
  • Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)


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