The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

'Sans Peur'       Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders red and white dicing       'Ne Obliviscaris'


MCBEAN, William

93rd Regiment, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Victoria Cross awarded 11 March 1858


The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.


The Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross
"for valour"

Name MCBEAN, William
Rank Lieutenant & Adjutant
Service 93rd Regiment, The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Theatre where VC won Begum Bagh, Lucknow, Indian Mutiny, 11 March 1858
Recorded in London Gazzette 24 December 1858
Place & Date of Birth Inverness, 1 January 1818
Place & Date of Death Shooter's Hill, SE London, 23 June 1878
Burial Ground Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh
Current Location of VC Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Museum, Stirling Castle

Scene of Action

On 11 March 1858 at Lucknow, India, Lieutenant McBean killed 11 of the enemy with his own hands in the main breach of the Begum Bagh. Using nothing but a rusty knife, and his bare fists, he single-handedly left eleven corpses lying face down in a hallway to protect Begum Bagh.

At the age of forty years old, there was nothing simple about this glorious deed. Reports of him fighting 5 Indians at the same time have surfaced, and one of the Indians was reported being 6'7", 265 pounds.

McBean's comrades ran out at the very end of the destruction, as McBean calmly spat out the blood of his enemies, and removed a sword out of his thigh. Putting the knife back into his pocket, he kicked the last Indian victim so that he was face down, and walked out quietly.


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