Timothy O’Hea VC

Timothy O’Hea VC

A Mysterious Beginning Timothy O’Hea, born in 1843 in Schull, County Cork, remains a largely enigmatic figure before his military career. Little is known about his early life until he enlisted in the Rifle Brigade, where he served as a private in the 1st Battalion. He...
Rifleman John Divane VC

Rifleman John Divane VC

An Uneven Path to the Battlefield John Divane—or perhaps more accurately, John Duane—was born near Loughrea, County Galway, in 1822. Evidence suggests that “Divane,” the name recorded in the Victoria Cross register and other official documents, may have been a...
Lieutenant (later Colonel) Claud Thomas Bourchier VC

Lieutenant (later Colonel) Claud Thomas Bourchier VC

Early Life & Enlistment Claud Thomas Bourchier was born in Brayford, Devon, on 22nd April 1831. The son of a serving officer, he followed his father into the Army and received his first commission at the age of 18 in The Rifle Brigade. By his early twenties he had...
Rifleman (later Corporal) A.E. Shepherd VC

Rifleman (later Corporal) A.E. Shepherd VC

Early Life & Enlistment Albert Shepherd was born at Royston, near Barnsley, Yorkshire, on 11th January 1897. The son of a miner, Shepherd followed his father into the pits, working as a pony driver at New Monckton Colliery. On 4 August 1915, he enlisted in one of Lord...
Captain John Butler, VC, DSO

Captain John Butler, VC, DSO

Early Life & Military Career John Butler was born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, on 20th December 1888. Educated at Wellington College, he followed in his father’s footsteps by pursuing a military career. He attended the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and was...