David Spence (VC)

David Spence
as Yeoman of the Guard
Born	1818 Inverkeithing, Fife
Died	17 April 1877 (aged 58) Lambeth, London
Buried	Lambeth Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Regimental Sergeant-Major
Unit	9th Lancers
Battles / wars	First Anglo-Sikh War Second Anglo-Sikh War Indian Mutiny
Awards	Victoria Cross
Other work	Yeoman of the Guard

David Spence VC (1818 – 17 April 1877) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Details

Spence was born in 1818 in Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland. He joined the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers in 1842. When he was 40 years old, and a troop sergeant-major in the 9th Lancers, British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 17 January 1858 at Shumsabad, India for which he was awarded the VC:

Troop Serjeant-Major Spence

Date of Act of Bravery, 17th January, 1858

For conspicuous gallantry on the 17th of January, 1858, at Shumsabad, in going to the assistance of Private Kidd, who had been wounded, and his horse disabled, and bringing him out from a large number of rebels. Despatch from Major-General Sir James Hope Grant, K.C.B., dated 8th April, 1858.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of regimental sergeant-major and in 1862 became a Yeoman of the Guard.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Regimental Museum of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers in Derby Museum, England.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (S. London)