Miles Ryan
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Miles Ryan VC (1826 - January 1887) was born in Derry and 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.
[edit] Details
He was about 31 years old, and a Drummer in the 1st Battalion, 101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 14 September 1857 at Delhi, India, when the troops were waiting at the Kabul Gate, reserve ammunition was being carried up on to the ramparts to be put into a small magazine, but before it could be safely stowed away, three boxes exploded and two were set on fire by enemy shot. Drummer Ryan and a sergeant (James McGuire) who were part of the ammunition guard, seeing the danger of the fire spreading, seized the two boxes which were alight and threw them over the ramparts into the canal, thus saving many lives.
He died Bengal India January 1887.
[edit] References
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
- The Irish Sword (Brian Clarke 1986)
- Irelands 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)
