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Essex Regiment Holders of the Victoria Cross
Sergeant William McWHINNEY Sgt McWinney volunteered as a sharpshooter at the commencement of the siege of Sebastopol and was in charge of the party of the 44th: was always vigilant and active and signalized himself on the 26th October 1854 when one of the party, Private John Keane, was dangerously wounded in the Woronzoff Road. At the time the sharp shooters were repulsed from the quarries by overwhelming numbers. Sergeant McWhinney, on his return, took the wounded man on his back and brought him to a place of safety. This was under very heavy fire. He was also the means of saving the life of Corporal John Courtenay. This man was one of the sharpshooters and was severely wounded in the head on 5 December 1854. Sgt McWhinney brought him from under fire and dug up a slight cover with his bayonet where the two remained until after dark when they retired. Sergeant Whiney volunteered for the advance guard in the cemetery on 18th June 1855 and was never absent from duty during the war. The VC was presented to Sgt McWhinney personally by Queen Victoria on 17 June 1857 Lieutenant Robert Montresor ROGERS Private John McDOUGALL Lt Rogers and Private McDougall together with Lieutenant Edmund Henry LENNON of the 67th Regiment swum the ditch surrounding the heavily defended North Taku Fort and entered by one of the apertures during the assault, and were the first of the British established on the walls. They passed through in the order listed above, each assisting the other to mount the embrasure by sticking their bayonets into the wall. Lt Rogers was severely injured by a musket ball on entering the fort but continued to fight until reinforcements arrived on the wall. The VC was presented to Private McDougal by Brigadier Adams on 2 October 1862 Lieutenant Francis Newton PARSONS On the morning of the 15th February, 1900, at Paardeberg, on the south bank of the River Modder, Private Ferguson, 1st Battalion Essex Regiment, was wounded and fell in a place devoid of cover. While trying to crawl under cover, he was again wounded, in the stomach, Lieutenant Parsons at once went to his assistance, dressed his wound under heavy fire, went down twice (still under heavy fire) to the bank of the river to get water for Private Ferguson, and subsequently carried him to a place of safety. Lieutenant Parsons was killed on the 10th March, in the engagement at Dreifontein, on which occasion he again displayed conspicuous gallantry Second Lieutenant Frank Bernard WEARNE On 28 June 1917 east of Loos, France, Second Lieutenant Wearne, commanding a small party in a raid on the enemy's trenches, had gained his objective in the face of fierce opposition and managed to maintain his position against repeated counter-attacks. Then, realising that if the left flank was lost his men would have to give way, he leaped on to the parapet and followed by his left section, ran along the top of the trench firing and throwing bombs. While doing this he was severely wounded, but continued directing operations until he received two more wounds, the second mortal. The VC was presented to Wearne's father at Buckingham Palace by King George V Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Charles NEWMAN On 28 March 1942 in the attack on St Nazaire, France Lieutenant Colonel Newman was in charge of the military forces and he was one of the first ashore, leading his men and directing operations quite regardless of his own safety. Under his inspiring leadership the troops fought magnificently and held vastly superior numbers of the enemy at bay until the demolition parties had done their work. The colonel then attempted to fight through into open country and not until all the ammunition was spent were he and his men overwhelmed and taken prisoner.
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