John Farrell (VC)

For other people named John Farrell, see John Farrell (disambiguation).

John Farrell VC (March 1826, Dublin – 31 August 1865) was a British Army soldier and Irish 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.

John Farrell
Cigarette card depicting Farrell and Berryman winning the VC
Born	March 1826 Dublin, Ireland
Died	31 August 1865 (aged 39) Secunderabad, India
Buried	Secunderabad Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Quartermaster-Sergeant
Unit	85th Foot 17th Lancers
Battles / wars	Crimean War Indian Mutiny
Awards	Victoria Cross

Depiction of the Charge of the Light Brigade

He was born in March 1826 in Dublin, Ireland. In 1843 he joined the Army, serving first with the 85th Foot and then the 17th Lancers, with whom he travelled to the Crimea in 1854.^[1]

Farrell was a sergeant in the 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own), British Army during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:

On 25 October 1854 at Balaklava, Crimea during the Charge of the Light Brigade, Sergeant Farrell, whose horse had been killed under him, stopped on the field and amidst a storm of shot and shell helped Troop Sergeant Major John Berryman and Sergeant Joseph Malone to move a severely wounded officer (who subsequently died) out of range of the guns.^[2]

After serving in the Indian Mutiny in 1858 and achieving the rank of Quartermaster-Sergeant, Farrell transferred to the 2nd Light Cavalry, Indian Army. He was serving with that unit at Secunderabad India when on 31 August 1865 he died from a liver abscess.^[1] He is buried in Secunderabad Cemetery.^[3]

His VC is not publicly owned.^[3]