Daniel Cambridge Born 1820 Carrickfergus Co Antrim he 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 medal, ribbon, and bar. ... Jump to: navigation, search // 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...

Details

He was approximately 35 years old, and a Bombardier in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, British Army during the Crimean War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. For Bombardier Group, Canada see: Bombardier United Kingdom Bombardier and lance-bombardier are British Army ranks used in the Royal Artillery instead of (respectively) corporal and lance-corporal. ... The Royal Regiment of Artillery, generally known as the Royal Artillery (RA), is, despite its name, a corps of the British Army It is made up of a number of regiments. ... Jump to: navigation, search The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Crimean War lasted from 28 March 1854 until 1856. ...

On 8 September 1855 at Sebastopol, Crimea, Sergeant Cambridge volunteered for the spiking party at the assault on the Redan and remained with the party even after being severely wounded. Later on the same day he went out under heavy fire to bring in a wounded man. September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Sebastopol may refer to: Sebastopol, California, USA Sebastopol, Mississippi, USA Sevastopol, Ukraine used to be known as Sebastopol This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... 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

Although his VC medal gives his rank as Sergeant he was actually a Bombardier at the time of the deed - he was not promoted to Sergeant until 21 April 1856. He later achieved the rank of Master Gunner.

At the time of his VC Sergeant Cambridge was serving in the 8th Company, 11th Battalion, Royal Artillery. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for services performed before Sebastopol during the Crimean War. Sebastopol may refer to: Sebastopol, California, USA Sebastopol, Mississippi, USA Sevastopol, Ukraine used to be known as Sebastopol This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Crimean War lasted from 28 March 1854 until 1856. ...

Cambridge was one of the original 62 who received the Cross from Queen Victoria at the 1st VC Investiture in Hyde Park on the 26th June 1857. The London Gazette of 23rd June 1857 announced the award, giving the citation as follows:

"For having volunteered for the spiking party at the assualt on the Redan, 8th September, 1855, and continuing therewith, after being severely wounded; and for having, in the after part of the same day, gone out in front of the advanced trench, under a heavy fire, to bring in a wounded man, in performing which service, he was himself severely wounded a second time."

Shortly afterwards Cambridge also received the Sardinian Al Valore Militare, for which the citation read:

"Served in the trenches throughout the whole of the siege of Sebastopol. Formed one of the spiking party on the 8th September, 1855, on which occasion he was severely wounded. Was noted for his cool and intrepid conduct under fire. This non-commissioned officer has received the Victoria Cross."

It should be noted that Daniel Cambridge was in fact a Bombardier when he won his Cross, as according to his record of service, preserved in the P.R.O. (WO 10/2231) he was not promoted to Sergeant until 21st April 1856. For Bombardier Group, Canada see: Bombardier United Kingdom Bombardier and lance-bombardier are British Army ranks used in the Royal Artillery instead of (respectively) corporal and lance-corporal. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the rank of sergeant. ...

Daniel Cambridge's rank was given as Sergeant in the London Gazette, and it is also the rank given on his Victoria Cross. A copy of the original citation sent to the Adjutant-General of the Forces on 19th December 1856 can be found in a manuscript book (MS C1,171E.) found in the Library of the Royal Artillery Institution.

Cambridge was first wounded in the leg then later severely wounded a second time, being shot through the jaw. Lieutenant-Colonel H. F. Strange (commanding his Company) and Captain Gronow Davis (who commanded the spiking party and also received the VC) are given as recommending the award. Gronow Davis was an English 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. ...

It is intersting to note that on his Al Valore Militare medal his rank is given correctly as Bombardier, while on the VC it appears as Sergeant. Daniel Cambridge, VC was pensioned as a Master-Gunner after nearly completing 32 years' service on the 27th June 1871.

In that same year Daniel Cambridge, VC became a Yeoman of the Guard. Some of the other medals he wore apart from his Victoria Cross and Al Valore Militare were the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, British Crimean Medal (with bars Inkerman and Sebastopol) and the Turkish Crimean Medal.

Daniel Cambridge, VC died at Plumstead in 1882 aged 62 years.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Artillery Museum (Woolwich, England). Firepower: The Royal Artillery Museum is a military museum in Woolwich in south east London, England, which tells the story of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and of the Royal Arsenal. ... Woolwich (pronounced Woolitch) is a town in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich (which is now part of the London Borough of Newham) is on the north side of the river. ...

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)
• Stuart Patterson

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

• Location of grave and VC medal (S.E. London)

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