Abraham Boulger
Abraham Boulger | |
|---|---|
 Boulger when Quartermaster, 84th Foot | |
| Born | 4 September 1835 Kilcullen, County Kildare |
| Died | 23 January 1900 (aged 64) Moate, County Westmeath |
| Buried | Ballymore Churchyard, County Westmeath |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 84th Regiment of Foot York and Lancaster Regiment |
| Battles / wars | Indian Mutiny 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Lieutenant Colonel Abraham Boulger VC (4 September 1835, in Kilcullen, County Kildare – 23 January 1900) 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.
In 1857 Boulger was serving with the 84th Regiment of Foot (later 2nd Bn, The York and Lancaster Regiment), during the Indian Mutiny and was involved in the Siege of Cawnpore and the Relief of Lucknow. He was a 21 year old Lance-Corporal when he was awarded the VC for the following service:
Lance-Corporal Abraham Boulger
Date of Acts of Bravery, from 12th July to 25th September, 1857
For distinguished bravery and forwardness; a skirmisher, in all the twelve actions fought between 12th July, and 25th September, 1857. (Extract from Field Force Orders of the late Major-General Havelock, dated 17 October 1857.)[1]
Boulger became sergeant major of the 84th Foot, and in November 1872 was commissioned as the Regiment's Quartermaster.[2] He served in the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War with his regiment, now titled the York and Lancaster Regiment. While remaining quartermaster, he was promoted to honorary captain in November, 1882,[3] and honorary Major in March 1883, 'in recognition of his services during the recent campaign in Egypt'.[4] He retired with the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in November 1887.[5]
Boulger died in Moate, County Westmeath, Ireland, on 23 January 1900, aged 64. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the York & Lancaster Regiment Museum in Rotherham, England.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "No. 22154". The London Gazette. 18 June 1858. p. 2957.
- ^ "No. 23915". The London Gazette. 1 November 1872. p. 5108.
- ^ "No. 25168". The London Gazette. 17 November 1882. p. 5109.
- ^ "No. 25209". The London Gazette. 6 March 1883. p. 1261.
- ^ "No. 25759". The London Gazette. 18 November 1887. p. 6134.
- ^ "Grave location for holders of the Victoria Cross: Co Westmeath". victoriacross.org.uk. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
Listed in order of publication
[edit]- 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.
- Ireland's VCs (Dept of Economic Development, 1995)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
External links
[edit]- 1835 births
- 1900 deaths
- Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross
- York and Lancaster Regiment soldiers
- Irish officers in the British Army
- 19th-century Irish people
- York and Lancaster Regiment officers
- British Army personnel of the Anglo-Egyptian War
- 84th Regiment of Foot officers
- British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross
- People from Moate
- Military personnel from County Kildare
- Burials in County Westmeath
- People from Kilcullen