{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox military person |name= John Purcell |birth_date= c. 1814 |death_date= 19 September 1857 (aged 42-43) |birth_place=Kilcommon, County Galway |death_place=Delhi, British India |burial_place=Delhi Old Military Cemetery |image=Victoria Cross Medal without Bar.png |image_size=125 |caption= |nickname= |allegiance= {{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} |service_years= |rank=Private |branch=23px British Army |commands= |unit=9th Lancers |battles=Indian Mutiny |awards= Victoria Cross |other_work= }} '''John Purcell''' VC (c. 1814 – 19 September 1857) was an Irish soldier in the British Army who received 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 born at Kilcommon, Oughterard, County Galway.
==Details== He was about 43 years old, and a private in the 9th Lancers (The Queen's Royal), during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 19 June 1857 at Delhi, India for which he and Thomas Hancock were awarded the VC: {{quote|9th Lancers. Privates Thomas Hancock and John Purcell
"The guns, I am happy to say, were saved, but a waggon of Major Scott's battery was blown up. I must not fail to mention the excellent conduct of a Sowar of the 4th Irregular Cavalry, and two men of the 9th Lancers, Privates Thomas Hancock and John Purcell, who, when my horse was shot down, remained by me throughout. One of these men and the Sowar offered me their horses, and I was dragged out by the Sowar's horse. Private Hancock was severely wounded, and Private Purcell's horse was killed under him. The Sowar's name is Roopur Khan."
Extract of a letter from Brigadier J. H. Grant, C.B., Commanding Cavalry Brigade of the Field Force, to the Deputy Assistant-Adjutant General of Division. Dated Camp, Delhi, 22 June 1857.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22083|page=178|date=15 January 1858}}</ref>}}
In a later dispatch from Brigadier-General Hope Grant, C.B. to Major H. W. Norman, Assistant Adjutant-General of the Army, on 10 January 1858, Hope writes:{{quote|I had the sincere gratification of naming two privates of the 9th Lancers, who had displayed signal gallantry in the fight—Privates Thomas Hancock, who lost an arm on the occasion, and John Purcell, who had his horse shot under him, and was, I regret to say, afterwards killed at the assault of Delhi. Sir Henry Barnard was pleased to recommend that the Victoria Cross should be conferred on both.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22083|page=1990|date= 23 April 1858}}</ref>}}
He was killed in action at Delhi a few weeks later, on 19 September 1857.
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==References== {{Reflist}} <!-- '''Listed in order of publication year ''' --> *''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' (1981, 1988 and 1997) *{{cite journal|first=Brian D. H.|last=Clarke|title=A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men|journal=The Irish Sword|volume=XVI|issue=64|pages=185–287|year=1986}} *''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)
<!-- This page has been migrated from the [http://www.victoriacross.net Victoria Cross Reference] '''with permission.''' -->
{{DEFAULTSORT:Purcell, John}} Category:1810s births Category:1857 deaths Category:19th-century Irish people Category:Irish soldiers in the British Army Category:People from Oughterard, County Galway Category:9th Queen's Royal Lancers soldiers Category:Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross Category:British military personnel killed in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Category:Military personnel from County Galway