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{{Short description|Recipient of the Victoria Cross}}
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{{Infobox Military Person
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
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{{Infobox military person
|name= John Thornton Down
|name= John Thornton Down
|honorific_suffix = [[Victoria Cross|VC]]
|born=2 March 1842
|image= John Thornton Down VC.jpg
|died=28 April 1866{{KIA}}
|image_size=
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|placeofbirth= [[Fulham]], [[London]]
|caption= Ensign John Down
|placeofdeath=[[Otahuhu, New Zealand]]
|birth_date= {{birth date|1842|03|02|df=yes}}
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|placeofburial=Otahuhu Old Cemetery
|death_date= {{death date and age|1866|04|27|1842|03|02|df=yes}}
|image= [[image:Victoria Cross Medal without Bar.png|125px]]
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|birth_place= [[Fulham]], London, England
|caption=
|death_place= [[Ōtāhuhu]], New Zealand
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|nickname=
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|placeofburial= Ōtāhuhu Old Cemetery
|allegiance= {{UK}}
|allegiance = {{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}}
|branch = {{flagicon|UKGBI|military}} [[British Army]]
|branch_label = Branch
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|nickname=
|serviceyears=
|serviceyears=
|rank= [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]]
|rank= [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]]
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|unit= [[57th Regiment of Foot]]
|branch=[[Image:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]
|commands=
|commands=
|battles= [[Second Taranaki War]]
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|unit=[[57th Regiment of Foot]]
|battles=[[Invasion of Waikato]]
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]
|laterwork=
|laterwork=
}}
}}
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'''John Thornton Down''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (2 March 1842 – 28 April 1866) was an [[England|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 [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.


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'''John Thornton Down''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|VC}} (2 March 1842 – 27 April 1866) was a [[British Army]] officer and a recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.
==Details==

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Down was 21 years old, and an [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]] in the [[57th Regiment of Foot]] (later The [[Middlesex Regiment]] (Duke of Cambridge's Own)), [[British Army]] during the [[Invasion of Waikato]] (one of the campaigns in the [[New Zealand Wars]]), when the following deed took place on 2 October 1863 at Poutoko, [[New Zealand]] for which he and Drummer [[Dudley Stagpoole]] were awarded the VC:
==Victoria Cross==
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{{quote|For their conduct at Pontoko, on the 2nd October, in rescuing a wounded comrade from the rebel Maories. They succeeded in bringing in the wounded man, who was lying at about fifty yards from the bush,although the enemy kept up a very heavy fire from the bush at short range, and also from behind fallen logs close at hand.
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Down was 21 years old, and an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] in the [[57th Regiment of Foot]] (later The [[Middlesex Regiment]]), [[British Army]] during the [[Second Taranaki War]] (one of the campaigns in the [[New Zealand Wars]]), when the following deed took place on 2 October 1863 at [[Poutoko]], [[New Zealand]] for which he and Drummer [[Dudley Stagpoole]] were awarded the VC:<ref>''In the Face of the Enemy'' by Glyn Harper and Colin Richardson p. 36 (2006, Auckland, HarperCollins) {{ISBN|1-86950-522-0}}</ref>
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{{blockquote|For their conduct at Pontoko, on the 2nd October, in rescuing a wounded comrade from the rebel Maori. They succeeded in bringing in the wounded man, who was lying at about fifty yards from the bush, although the enemy kept up a very heavy fire from the bush at short range, and also from behind fallen logs close at hand.
The man had been wounded during an engagement with the rebel natives, and Ensign Down, and Drummer Stagpoole, responded to the call of the Officer commanding the detachment of the Regiment for volunteers to bring him in.
The man had been wounded during an engagement with the rebel natives, and Ensign Down, and Drummer Stagpoole, responded to the call of the Officer commanding the detachment of the Regiment for volunteers to bring him in.


The Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field has already been conferred on Drummer Stagpoole, for the energy and devotion which he displayed on the 25th September, 1863, at the affair near Kaipakopako, in having, though wounded in the head, twice volunteered and brought in wounded men.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22896|startpage=4552|date=23 September 1864|accessdate=19 December 2009}}</ref>}}
The Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field has already been conferred on Drummer Stagpoole, for the energy and devotion which he displayed on the 25th September, 1863, at the affair near Kaipakopako, in having, though wounded in the head, twice volunteered and brought in wounded men.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22896|page=4552|date=23 September 1864}}</ref>}}

He was killed in action at [[Otahuhu, New Zealand]] on 28 April 1866.
Down died of fever at [[Ōtāhuhu|Camp Otahuhu]] on 27 April 1866. His grave in Ōtāhuhu (Holy Trinity) Churchyard is maintained by the New Zealand [[Ministry for Culture and Heritage]].<ref>[http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/national-monuments-war-graves/list-historic-graves-and-monuments-maintained-min list of historic graves and monuments maintained by the Ministry]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)


== External links ==
==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{findagrave|8185193}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Down, John Thornton}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Down, John Thornton}}
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[[Category:British military personnel of the New Zealand Wars]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the New Zealand Wars]]
[[Category:New Zealand Wars recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:New Zealand Wars recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]
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[[Category:Infectious disease deaths in New Zealand]]
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[[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
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[[Category:19th-century New Zealand military personnel]]

Latest revision as of 07:04, 1 July 2024

John Thornton Down

VC
Ensign John Down
Born(1842-03-02)2 March 1842
Fulham, London, England
Died27 April 1866(1866-04-27) (aged 24)
Ōtāhuhu, New Zealand
Buried
Ōtāhuhu Old Cemetery
Allegiance United Kingdom
BranchUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland British Army
RankEnsign
Unit57th Regiment of Foot
Battles/warsSecond Taranaki War
AwardsVictoria Cross

John Thornton Down VC (2 March 1842 – 27 April 1866) was a British Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Victoria Cross

[edit]

Down was 21 years old, and an ensign in the 57th Regiment of Foot (later The Middlesex Regiment), British Army during the Second Taranaki War (one of the campaigns in the New Zealand Wars), when the following deed took place on 2 October 1863 at Poutoko, New Zealand for which he and Drummer Dudley Stagpoole were awarded the VC:[1]

For their conduct at Pontoko, on the 2nd October, in rescuing a wounded comrade from the rebel Maori. They succeeded in bringing in the wounded man, who was lying at about fifty yards from the bush, although the enemy kept up a very heavy fire from the bush at short range, and also from behind fallen logs close at hand.

The man had been wounded during an engagement with the rebel natives, and Ensign Down, and Drummer Stagpoole, responded to the call of the Officer commanding the detachment of the Regiment for volunteers to bring him in.

The Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field has already been conferred on Drummer Stagpoole, for the energy and devotion which he displayed on the 25th September, 1863, at the affair near Kaipakopako, in having, though wounded in the head, twice volunteered and brought in wounded men.[2]

Down died of fever at Camp Otahuhu on 27 April 1866. His grave in Ōtāhuhu (Holy Trinity) Churchyard is maintained by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ In the Face of the Enemy by Glyn Harper and Colin Richardson p. 36 (2006, Auckland, HarperCollins) ISBN 1-86950-522-0
  2. ^ "No. 22896". The London Gazette. 23 September 1864. p. 4552.
  3. ^ list of historic graves and monuments maintained by the Ministry[permanent dead link]
[edit]
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