This is the story of a man’s rise to
glory and his subsequent fall from grace. Since its introduction in 1856, many
a bravehearts have been decorated with Victoria Cross for valour. The youngest
recipient, Andrew Fitzgibbon, may be considered as one of the most
controversial of them. Nishtha Gautam presents the various aspects of the life of
this unusual hero.
Andrew Fitzgibbon was born at “Petoragurh,” on 13th
May 1845. The place has been variously described as being in the states of
Goozerat, ‘Bangal’and Uttar Pradesh. However, in the light of other facts about
his life, it may be assumed that he was born in what we now know as Pithoragarh
in Uttarakhand. According to Andrew’s
baptism records, the ceremony took place at Almora on 21st July the
same year and his father, William Fitzgibbon, is mentioned as the Quartermaster
Sergeant in the Kumaon Provisional Battalion. This was one of the local
battalions of the East India Company. His mother Elisa is believed to be an
Indian Hindu woman, whom the Irish soldier married. This Indo-Irish matrimonial
alliance would go on to become one of the central points in the posthumous
controversies surrounding Andrew.
Very little about Andrew’s early life is known. He
went to La Martiniere School and on 15th July 1859 he was admitted as a
Hospital Apprentice to the Bengal Subordinate Medical Department at
Barrackpore. It is interesting to know that Andrew Fitzgibbon courted obscurity
quite early on in his life. His name appeared on the Bengal Army List only in
1862.
His association with the 67th Regiment is likely to
have formed when the regiment was preparing to go to Canton to participate in
the Opium War. Soon, the regiment was given the task of occupy the island of
Chusan. The further plan was to move on towards the forts at Taku and attack
the Chinese from behind. As the account of Capt (Retd) P H Starling states, “The
67th were dressed in lightweight summer jackets and wicker helmets and carried
their greatcoats, three days rations and 56 rounds of ammunition for their
Enfield rifles.”
The advance of the regiment commenced on 12th August.
The regiment waited for canals between the village of Sin-ho and the Taku forts
to be bridged and the operation against the upper fort began on 21st August. The
regiment overcame the formidable obstacles protecting the fort and eventually
the walls of the fort were breached.
Fitzgibbon reached close to the walls while
accompanying a wing of the regiment. Thereupon, he was ordered by Assistant
Surgeon Ross to attend to an injured dhoolie bearer. To do this, Fitzgibbon
left cover and escaping heavy crossfire he reached the wounded. After bandaging
the wounded bearer, he saw an artilleryman getting hurt. He speeded to reach
him before it was too late. After providing first-aid and succour to the fallen
soldier, the healer himself got wounded. His right forearm and elbow got badly
injured. He left the battlefield in order to be treated by Surgeon Lamprey. This
action at Taku Fort saw a total number of 201casualties, killed and wounded.
For their valour, five soldiers of the 67th Regiment were recommended for the
award of the prestigious Victoria Cross.
To consider the recommendations a board met on 21
April 1861 and it was concluded that the selfless deeds of this teenaged soldier
warranted the award of a Victoria Cross. The recommendation was submitted to
the Queen on 7th August 1861 and the following citation in the London Gazette
appeared on 13th August 1861.
Hospital Apprentice Arthur (sic) Fitzgibbon, Indian
Medical
Establishment.
“For having behaved with great coolness
and courage at the capture of North Taku Fort on the 21st August 1860. On the morning
of that day he accompanied a wing of the 67th Regiment when it took
up a position within 500 yards of the Fort. Having quitted cover, he proceeded
under a very heavy fire to attend to a Doolie-bearer, whose wound he had been
directed to bind up; and, while the regiment was advancing under the enemy’s
fire, he ran across the open to another wounded man; in doing which he was
himself severely wounded.”
Fitzgibbon received the award at the tender age of
15 years and 100 days. It is noteworthy that the London Gazette identifies
wrongly as ‘Arthur’ Fitzgibbon. Negligence would become the catch word in the
life of the youngest VC recipient.
After coming back to India Fitzgibbon’s next duty was
at the Depot Hospital, ‘Raneegunge’ and in 1863 he served with B Battery 5th
Royal Horse Artillery Brigade. He later got posted to Peshawar and further to
the 20th Hussars. He was promoted to Assistant Apothecary on 12th January 1867
and went on to become a 2nd Class Assistant Apothecary in 1868. After becoming
an Assistant Apothecary 1st class in 1872, Fitzgibbon went on to
become the Civil Surgeon and held this post till 1879. This was the year that
marked his downfall.
According to the records, Fitzgibbon’s conduct began
to irk the authorities and it was found out that he was ‘addicted to
intemperate habits.’ On 12th September1879, the Adjutant General in India wrote
that although not found drunk on duty Fitzgibbon was found to have drunk
sufficient to neglect his duties. It was deemed unsafe to employ somebody with ‘notoriously
intemperate habits, on hospital duties where the lives of so many sick British
soldiers are concerned.’ It is believed that Fitzgibbon failed to change his
habits despite being given the opportunity to do so. Considering his inability
to reform, his removal from military duties was recommended. Fitzgibbon was awarded
a Special Compassionate Allowance of Rs 25 a month in view of his gallant
service, though his service did not warrant a gratuity or any form of pension.
Andrew Fitzgibbon died of a stroke on 7th March
1883, in Delhi and was buried in the Old Delhi Military Cemetery, now known as
Nicholson Christian Cemetery. He rests in one of the many unmarked graves here.
It is believed that along with the mortal remains of this fallen hero his
Victoria Cross remains buried in the neglected grave. The exact whereabouts of
the prestigious medal are known to none. Some say that it was in the possession
of his wife Amelia and got buried with her. Another suggestion is that their
daughter, who spent her life in Bangalore, had the medal in her custody.
For more than a century after he died, there were
hardly any records mentioning Andrew Fitzgibbon. Around a decade ago, several
attempts were made by the Indian Army Medical Corps to dig out information
about him. Since his mother was believed to be an Indian, it was a battle to
own one’s hero, however fallible. After much ado Fitzgibbon was recognized as
one of our own and now his pictorial representation appears on the wall of fame
at AMC headquarters in Lucknow.
