George Rodgers
Encyclopedia
George Rodgers VC
(January 1829 - 9 March 1870) was a Scottish
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 the 71st Regiment
(later The Highland Light Infantry
), British Army
during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 16 June 1858 at Marar, Gwalior for which he was awarded the VC:
Rodgers returned to Glasgow and died in a domestic accident. He visited his sister in order to get an alcoholic drink but was refused and told to lie down in her flat. Some time later Rodgers got up and found a bottle of sulphuric acid and thinking it was alcohol, drank it, causing his death. He was buried in a common grave in Glasgow's Southern Necropolis.
, Scotland.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(January 1829 - 9 March 1870) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Rodgers was about 29 years old, and a privatePrivate (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 71st Regiment
71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot
The 71st Regiment of Foot was a Highland regiment in the British Army, which in 1881 became the 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry .- First formation :...
(later The Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
), British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 16 June 1858 at Marar, Gwalior for which he was awarded the VC:
Rodgers returned to Glasgow and died in a domestic accident. He visited his sister in order to get an alcoholic drink but was refused and told to lie down in her flat. Some time later Rodgers got up and found a bottle of sulphuric acid and thinking it was alcohol, drank it, causing his death. He was buried in a common grave in Glasgow's Southern Necropolis.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of The Royal Highland Fusiliers, GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Glasgow)