William Gardner (VC)

William Gardner
Born	(1821-03-03)3 March 1821 Nemphlar, Lanarkshire
Died	24 October 1897(1897-10-24) (aged 76) Bothwell, Lanarkshire
Buried	Bothwell Park Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Sergeant-Major
Unit	42nd Regiment of Foot
Battles / wars	Crimean War Indian Mutiny
Awards	Victoria Cross Distinguished Conduct Medal

William Gardner VC DCM (3 March 1821 – 24 October 1897) was a Scottish 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.

He was 37 years old, and a colour-sergeant in the 42nd Regiment of Foot (later The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)), British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on 5 May 1858 at Bareilly, India for which he was awarded the VC:

For his conspicuous and gallant conduct on the morning of the 5th of May last, in having saved the life of Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron, his Commanding Officer, who during the action at Bareilly on that day, had been knocked from his horse, when three Fanatics rushed upon him. Colour-Sergeant Gardner ran out, and in a moment bayoneted two of them, and was in the act of attacking the third, when he was shot down by another soldier of the Regiment. (Letter from Captain Macpherson, 42nd Regiment, to Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron, Commanding that Regiment.)

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He later achieved the rank of sergeant-Major. His medal was sold by one of his descendants to raise money for charity.^[2] His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.

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

• Location of grave and VC medal (Strathclyde)