A HEADSTONE HAS BEEN ERECTED OVER THE PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN LOCATION OF THE BURIAL OF LANCE CORPORAL JOHN DUNLAY VC, 93RD REGIMENT, IN ST JOSEPH'S CEMETERY, CORK.
16 November 2018


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John Dunlay VC died in Cork's South Infirmary on the 17th October 1890 and was buried in the city's St. Joseph's Cemetery. Until recently the location of his burial plot within the cemetery was not known. However, after extensive research by a direct descendant the exact burial plot of Lance Corporal John Dunlay VC has now been pinpointed.

At a prestigious ceremony, held on Friday, 16th November 2018, an impressive headstone was unveiled over John Dunlay's grave to commemorate this soldier's heroic action during the Indian Mutiny ( 1857-58 ) which earned him Britain's highest award for gallantry, the Victoria Cross.

The project leaders were David and Colm McCormack and Brendan Rodgers who were responsible for the finance aided by the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association. Those in attendance at the ceremony were the Deputy Mayor of Cork; an Irish Army ADC; representatives from the Munster Fusiliers; Cork Branch of the Western Front Association and the British Legion.

Medal entitlement of Lance Corporal John Dunlay,
93rd Regiment ( Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders )

  • Victoria Cross
  • Crimea Medal ( 1854-56 )
    • 3 clasps:
    • "Alma" - "Balaclava" - "Sebastopol"
  • Indian Mutiny Medal ( 1857-58 )
    • 1 clasp:
    • "Relief of Lucknow"
  • Turkish Crimea Medal ( 1855-56 )

The Sheesh Mahal medal collection was put together by Sir Bhupindar Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala, in the Punjab, India, in the 1920s. The Collection includes the Victoria Cross awarded to Lance Corporal John Dunlay.

For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 24 December 1858 ], Secundra Bagh, Lucknow, Indian Mutiny, 16 November 1857, Private John Dunlay, 93rd Regiment.

For being the first man, now surviving, of the Regiment, who, on the 16th November 1857, entered one of the breaches in the Secundra Bagh, at Lucknow, with Captain Burroughs, whom he most gallantly supported against superior numbers.

Elected under Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant dated 29 January 1856 ( Elected by the Regiment )

John Dunlay was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on the 4th January 1860.

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Iain Stewart, 16 November 2018