Part 2 begins with Bernard McQuirt VC, born in Donaghdoney, County Armagh, Ireland in 1829. On 6th January 1858, during the capture of the entrenched town of Rowa, India, when he was seriously and dangerously wounded in a hand to hand fight with three men, of whom he killed one and wounded another. He received 5 sabre cuts and a musket shot in this action. He died in 1888 and is buried in Belfast City Cemetery, Belfast, Northern Ireland. His medals are not publicly held. The second recipient is Parkash Singh VC, born in Lyallpur, India in 1913. On 6th January 1943, the Bren Gun Carrier Platoon of 5th/8th Punjab was attacked by a strong Japanese patrol near Donbalk on the Mayu Peninsula. The platoon commander was wounded and forced to retire, handing command to Parkash Singh. He noticed two other carriers bogged down by heavy fire, and immediately rushed to their rescue, calling on the crews to abandon their vehicles and run for safety while he provided covering fire. When his Bren gunner was wounded, he took over the gun and charged towards the enemy. He drove them out of their fixed positions and rescued 8 other carriers on his way back. He was recommended for VC and Bar for his actions, but only was awarded the VC. He died in London in 1991 whilst undergoing heart surgery, and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. His medals are displayed at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum, London. The third recipient is James Pitts VC, born in Blackburn, Lancashire in 1877. On 6th January 1900, during the attack on Caesar’s Camp, Natal, South Africa, he and another VC recipient (see later in the diary), occupied a sangar, on the left of which all of the men had been shot down and their positions taken by the Boers. They held their post for 15 hours with little food and water, all of which under extremely heavy fire, keeping up their own fire and keeping a look out on the Boer’s movements. He died in 1955 and was buried in Whalley New Road Cemetery, Blackburn, Lancashire. His medals are held by the Museum of the Manchester Regiment, Ashton under Lyne. The final recipient is Robert Scott VC, born in 1874 in Haslingden, Lancashire. He helped James Pitts VC, his fellow Private of the Manchester Regiment in holding a sangar position near Caesar’s Camp, Natal for over 15 hours in extremely dangerous and difficult conditions. Scott was wounded in this action. He died in 1961 in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland and is buried in Christ Church Cemetery, Kilkeel. His medals, similarly to James Pitts VC, are held in the Museum of the Manchester Regiment, Ashton under Lyne.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 06:15:49 +0000
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