{{short description|Recipient of the Victoria Cross}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox military person |name=Thomas Bernard Hackett |birth_date= {{Birth date|1836|6|15|df=yes}} |death_date= {{Death date and age|1880|10|5|1836|6|15|df=yes}} |birth_place=[[Riverstown (near Birr)|Riverstown]], [[County Tipperary]] |death_place=Arrabeg, [[King's County, Ireland|King's County]] |burial_place=Lockeen Churchyard, County Tipperary |image= Thomas Bernard Hackett (1836–1880).png |image_size= |caption= |allegiance= {{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} |service_years= |rank=[[Lieutenant colonel]] |branch=[[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]] |commands= |unit=[[23rd Regiment of Foot]] |battles=[[Crimean War]]<br>[[Indian Mutiny]]<br>Third Anglo-Ashanti War |awards= [[Victoria Cross]] |other_work= |relations= }} [[Lieutenant Colonel]] '''Thomas Bernard Hackett''' {{Post-nominals|post-noms=[[Victoria Cross|VC]]}} (15 June 1836 – 5 October 1880) was born in [[Riverstown (near Birr)|Riverstown]], [[County Tipperary]] and was an [[Ireland|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 [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.
==Details== He was 21 years old, and a [[lieutenant]] in the [[23rd Regiment of Foot]] (later [[The Royal Welch Fusiliers]]), [[British Army]] during the [[Indian Mutiny]] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 18 November 1857 at [[Sikandar Bagh|Secundra Bagh]], [[Lucknow]], [[India]], Lieutenant Hackett, with [[George Monger]], rescued a corporal of his Regiment, who was lying wounded and exposed to heavy fire. He also showed conspicuous bravery when, under heavy fire, he ascended the roof and cut the thatch of a bungalow to prevent its being set on fire. His citation reads: {{quote|23rd Regiment, Lieutenant (now Captain) Thomas Bernard Hackett
Date of Act of Bravery, 18th November, 1857
For daring gallantry at Secundra Bagh, Lucknow, on the 18th November, 1857, in having with others, rescued a Corporal of the 23rd Regiment, who was lying wounded and exposed to very heavy fire. Also, for conspicuous bravery, in having, under a heavy fire, ascended the roof, and cut down the thatch of a Bungalow, to prevent its being set on fire. This was a most important service at the time.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22248|page=1482|date=12 April 1859}}</ref>}}
He later achieved the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]]. He died at Arrabeg, [[King's County, Ireland|King's County]] (now [[County Offaly]]) in a firearm accident on 5 October 1880. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the [[Imperial War Museum]], London.
==Arms== {{Infobox COA wide |escutcheon = Sable three piles pointing to the base Argent the centre one charged with a trefoil slipped Vert on a chief Gules a lion passant guardant Or. |motto = Virtute Et Fidelitate |notes = Granted 6 August 1856 by Sir John Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000547581/StaffViewMARC#tabnav |title=Grants and Confirmations of Arms Vol. F |publisher=National Library of Ireland |accessdate=28 June 2022 |page=96}}</ref> |crest = A demi-panther Argent spotted Azure collared Gules charged on the shoulder with a trefoil slipped Vert and holding in the dexter paw a branch of the last. }}
==References== {{Reflist}} *''[[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)
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041226111134/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/ireland.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Co. Tipperary, Ireland)'' * {{Find a Grave|11340342}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20091003135158/http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/wwgbrgps.htm Picture of Hackett's medals]
{{Royal Welsh}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackett, Thomas Bernard}} [[Category:Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross]] [[Category:Irish Anglicans]] [[Category:Royal Welch Fusiliers officers]] [[Category:1836 births]] [[Category:1880 deaths]] [[Category:19th-century Irish people]] [[Category:Irish officers in the British Army]] [[Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross]] [[Category:Deaths by firearm in the Republic of Ireland]] [[Category:Firearm accident victims]] [[Category:British Army personnel of the Crimean War]] [[Category:British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Ashanti War]] [[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]] [[Category:Accidental deaths in the Republic of Ireland]] [[Category:Military personnel from County Tipperary]] [[Category:Lieutenant colonels]]