Philip Smith (VC)

For other people of the same name, see Philip Smith (disambiguation).

Philip Smith
Depiction of the Siege of Sebastopol
Born	5 October 1825 Lurgan, County Armagh
Died	16 January 1906 (aged 80) Dublin
Buried at	Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	17th Regiment of Foot
Battles/wars	Crimean War
Awards	Victoria Cross Medaille Militaire (France)

Philip Felix Smith VC (5 October 1825 – 16 January 1906) was born in Lurgan, County Armagh 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.

Details

He was 29 old, and a corporal in the 17th Regiment (later the Leicestershire Regiment), British Army during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 18 June 1855 at Sebastopol, in the Crimea, Corporal Smith went out repeatedly in front of the advanced trenches against the Great Redan, under heavy fire, after the column had retired from the assault, and brought in wounded comrades.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of sergeant. He died Harolds Cross, Dublin, 16 January 1906 and was buried at Glasnevin Cemetery

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment now housed in the Newarke Houses Museum (Leicester, England).

References

Listed in order of publication year

• The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
• Clarke, Brian D. H. (1986). "A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men". The Irish Sword XVI (64): 185–287. 
• 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)