Ambrose Madden 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. Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (official post-nominal letters VC) is the highest award for valour that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces of any rank in any service and civilians under military command. ... // Definition and linguistics The original phrase common wealth or the common weal is a calque translation of the Latin term res publica (public matters), from which the word republic comes, which was itself used as a synonym for the greek politeia as well as for the republican (i. ...

Details

He was approx. 34 years old, and a Sergeant-Major in the 41st Regiment (later The Welch Regiment), British Army during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. This article is about a military rank and position. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Crimean War lasted from 28 March 1854 until 1856. ...

On 26 October 1854, in the Crimea, at Little Inkerman, Sergeant Madden headed a party of men of the 41st Regiment which cut off and took prisoner one Russian officer and 14 privates, three of whom were personally captured by the sergeant. October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Crimea (officially Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Russian transliteration: Avtonomnaya Respublika Krym, Russian: Автономная Республика Крым, Ukrainian: Автономна Республіка Крим, , pronounced cry-MEE-ah in English) is a peninsula and an autonomous republic of Ukraine on the northern coast of the Black Sea. ...

Further information

He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant. A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ...

From Information provided by Richard Arman, vcresearch@austarnet.com.au

MADDEN, Ambrose 550 and 2195, Serjeant-Major, 41st Regiment

Personal Details Birthplace: Cork, Ireland circa 1820 Wife: Bridget Furlong, they were married at Tuam, Galway, Ireland on 10 September 1847. Children: Two daughters Cork (Corcaigh in Irish) is the second city of the Republic of Ireland. ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Tuam is a small town in County Galway in the Republic of Ireland. ... Galway (official Irish name: Gaillimh) is a city in the province of Connacht in Ireland and capital of County Galway. ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Service Background Service History

• Enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Dragoon Guards at Cahir, _____ on 24 May 1838
• Transferred to the 41st Regiment at Dublin on 31 October 1845
• Promoted to Corporal on 16 June 1848
• Promoted to Sergeant on 7 September 1849
• Promoted to Colour Serjeant on 1 May 1853
• Served during the Crimean War, being involved in the actions at the Alma, Little Inkermann, Inkermann and Sebastopol;
  
• Promoted to Acting Sergeant-Major on 7 August 1855
• Promoted to Sergeant-Major on 2 October 1856
• Resigned and reverted back to Colour Serjeant on 12 October 1858
• Transferred voluntarily to the 2nd Bn., West India Regiment on 31 October 1858
• Promoted to Company Serjeant-Major on 1 November 1858
• Commissioned as an Ensign into the 2nd Bn., West India Regiment on 13 December 1858
• Served in West Africa during the Baddiboo War in 1861
• Present at the bombardment of Sowarracunda Creek on 16 February 1861; the storming and capture of Carawan, Kinty Cunda and Saba where he suffered a severe attack of fever but continued to carry out his duties
• Promoted to Lieutenant on 20 August 1861
• Transferred, as Garrison Adjutant, to the 3rd Bn., West India Regiment at Gambia, West Africa in April 1861
• Transferred to 4th Bn., West India Regiment on 7 April 1862.

Orders, Decorations, Medals
Victoria Cross
Crimea Medal 1854-55 with clasps 'Alma', 'Inkermann', 'Sebastopol'
Médaille Militaire (Fr.)
Crimea Medal (Turk.)
May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining, as the final day of October. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Corporal is a military rank in use by several militaries of the world. ... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article is about the rank of sergeant. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Crimean War lasted from 28 March 1854 until 1856. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about a military rank and position. ... October 2nd is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... 1858 is a common year starting on Friday. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining, as the final day of October. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ...

Civilian History
Pre Service Employment
Worked as a labourer.

Citations
VC Citation
The award of the Victoria Cross, for actions during the Siege Operations at Inkerman, Crimea, was published on p.659 of London Gazette No. 21971, dated 24 February 1857.
The citation read: February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

"41st Regiment Serj.-Major Ambrose Madden
For having headed a party of men of the 41st Regiment, and having cut off and taken prisoners one Russian Officer and fourteen privates, three of whom he, personally and alone, captured."

Additional VC Information
Investiture
It is believed Sgt. Maj. Madden was decorated by Maj.-Gen. Bell in Jamaica.

VC Location
Welch Regiment Museum, The Black & Barbican Towers, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF1 2RB, Wales. Tel 01222 229367
Purchased by the Welch Regiment for £50 in January 1935
The Victoria Cross was stolen from the Military Museum at Maindy Barracks, Cardiff (Recorded in the Orders and Medals Research Society's 'Journal' (News Bulletin No. 2, Vol. 3 (103) dated 11 May 1964)) Cardiff Castle in Wales was founded by the Normans in 1091, on the site of a Roman fort whose remains can still be seen. ... Cardiff (Welsh: Caerdydd is the capital and largest city of Wales. ...

Death Details
Death: Died of Yellow Fever in Jamaica on 1 January 1863.
Burial: Location of grave not known. January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Miscellaneous
References
The Evolution of the Victoria Cross, M.J. Crook, p. 52

The medal

please update if you know where his medal is publicly displayed

Update: While it has been determined that I am not related to Ambrose Madden (rather Patrick Madden), I had communication with the Welch Regiment Museum in regard to the location of Ambrose's VC medal. If you believe this information is incorrect, please contact John Dart directly. Thank you. Joanne (Powers) Diffenbaugh

Original Message-----

Subject: Re: Location of VC - recipient Ambrose Madden Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 08:28:42 +0100 From: John Dart <john.dart@ukonline.co.uk> Organization: Welch Regiment Museum To: Just Jo <eccentricity@comcast.net>

Dear Joanne

First let me apologise for the failure to reply to your initial contact, you are one of several contacts that due to operational problems we were unable to respond to.

However I can confirm that the Victoria Cross awarded to Sgt Major Ambrose Madden, is in fact in the safe possession of The Welch Regiment Museum.

You as a relative of the late Ambrose Madden and indeed any other proven relative are more than welcome to view his Victoria Cross.

However we will need to agree a date and time, as you will be aware security is of prime importance in these matters, and viewing will only allowed in a secure and defended environment. You will be required to provide identification prior to viewing, this being our standard operating procedure in such circumstances.

Our museum is closed to the public on Tuesdays, but any other day will be ok. The museum is located within Cardiff Castle, and our opening times are From 10am to 6pm March to October and 10am to 4.30pm November to April. If you wish you can contact me by telephone on 029 20 229367

John Dart

Reference

• Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

The following people are Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross. ... Monuments To Courage is a book by David Harvey, published in 1999. ... The Register of the Victoria Cross A list of all 1350 Victoria Crosses with details of each recipient ISBN 0906324033 Publisher: Cheltenham: This England Books; 1981 Size: 8vo - over 7 3/4 - 9 3/4 Pagination: 303 + 4. ...

See also

External links

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.