Sir William Olpherts

Rank: General

Force: Bengal Artillery

VC Won: Relief of Lucknow, Indian Mutiny, 25 September 1857

Born: Blackwaterdown, Co.Armagh, Ireland, 8 March 1822

Died: Upper Norwood, S.E. London, 30 April 1902

Location of VC: National Army Museum, London

Grave: Richmond Cemetery, Grave number 1953, Section N

Accounts of Deeds

On 25th September 1857, at Lucknow, during the Indian Mutiny, troops penetrated into the city, and Captain Olpherts charged on horseback with the 90th Regiment. They captured two guns in the fact of very heavy fire. Afterwards, he returned under severe fire of musketry to bring up limbers and horses to carry off the captured ordnance.

At the outbreak of the Mutiny, as he was a daring and able officer, he earned the nickname "Hellfire Jack" although he was also regarded as being somewhat eccentric. He ended his army career as Colonel-Commandant of the Royal Artillery.