Herbert Reade joined the British Army in November, 1850 as an Assistant Surgeon in the 61st Regiment of Foot, later to be known as the Gloucestershire Regiment. In 1857 he was promoted to Staff Surgeon 2nd class. Reade saw action at the Siege of Delhi on September 14, 1857, during the Indian Mutiny,
The Victory Cross Citation published in the London Gazzette, 5th of February, 1861 read: "During the siege of Delhi, on 14th September, 1857 while Surgeon Reade was attending to the wounded, at the end of one of the streets of the city, a party of rebels advanced from the direction of the Bank, and having established themselves in the houses in the street commenced firing from the roofs. The wounded were thus in very great danger, and would have fallen into the hands of the enemy had not Surgeon Reade drawn his sword, and calling upon the few soldiers who were near to follow, succeeded, under a very heavy fire, in dislodging the rebels from their position. Surgeon Reade's party consisted of about ten in all, of whom two were killed and five or six wounded.
Surgeon Reade also accompanied the regiment at the assault of Delhi, and on the morning to the 16th September, 1857, was one of the first to breach in the magazine, which was stormed by the 61st Regiment and Belooch Battalion, upon which occasion he, with a Sergeant of the 61st Regiment, spiked one of the enemy's guns."
Herbert Reade returned to England in 1886 and was promoted to Surgeon General. He retired from the military in 1887. His other honours include a Mention in Dispatched for promotion for his actions during the Indian Mutiny, a Companion in the Most Honourable Order of the Bath and in 1895 he was made Honourary Surgeon to Queen Victoria.
Hebert Taylor Reade died 23rd of June, 1897 in Bath, England. He is buried in Locksbrook Cemetery, Bath, England.
His Victoria Cross and other medals are on display at the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum in Gloucester, England.
No comments:
Post a Comment