John Crimmin

Colonel John Crimmin VC CB CIE VD (19 March 1859 – 20 February 1945) 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. He also served as the Hon. Physician to H.M. The King.

For the American diplomat, see John Hugh Crimmins.
John Crimmin
Born19 March 1859
Kilballyowen, Bruff, County Limerick
Died20 February 1945 (aged 85)
Wells, Somerset
Buried
Wells Cemetery, Somerset
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branchIndian Army
RankColonel
UnitBombay Medical Service, Indian Army
Battles/warsKaren-Ni Expedition, Burma
Awards Victoria Cross

Details

He was 29 years old, and a Surgeon in the Bombay Medical Service, Indian Army during the Karen-Ni Expedition, Burma[1] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 1 January 1889, in the action near Lwekaw, Eastern Karenni, Burma (now Myanmar), a lieutenant and four men charged into a large body of the enemy and two men were wounded. Surgeon John Crimmin attended one of them under enemy fire and he then joined the firing line and helped in driving the enemy from small clumps of trees where they had taken shelter. Later while Surgeon Crimmin was attending a wounded man several of the enemy rushed out at him. He thrust his sword through one of them, attacked a second and a third dropped from the fire of a sepoy. The remainder fled.[2]

He later achieved the rank of Colonel and served in the Indian Medical Service, for which was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in 1901.[3]

He died at Woodward House, Wells, Somerset, 20 February 1945.

References
  1. Starling, PH (June 2009). "THE MEDICAL VICTORIA CROSSES" (PDF). RAMC Journal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-29.
  2. "No. 25975". The London Gazette. 17 September 1889. p. 4989.
  3. "No. 27261". The London Gazette. 1 January 1901. p. 2.
  • 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 (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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