The Sad Story of Pte Sims VC

Sometimes I help out by posting social media for the Museum. The team are always good at picking up facts for certain days, fitting nicely into the 'on this day' hashtag. Yesterday was no exception.

The Museum holds five Victoria Crosses, the highest gallantry award, although ten VCs have been awarded to members of the Regiment. Some, like the one awarded to Abram Acton, are held in other collections (Acton's is held at The Beacon Museum in Whitehaven). But there is one VC that has no known location. The one awarded to Private John Joseph Sims of the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot.

This is the citation if the London Gazette of 24 February 1857: 

For the award of the Victoria Cross.

The Redan, Crimea, 18 June 1855, No. 3482 Private John Joseph Sims, 34th Regiment.

For having, on 18th June 1855, after the Regiment had retired into the trenches from the assault on the Redan, gone out into the open ground under a heavy fire in broad daylight and brought in wounded soldiers outside the trenches.

Pte Sims  was personally presented with his medal by Queen Victoria on Hyde Park in June 1857.

Sadly, little is known about John Sims but on leaving the Army he returned to his native London but fell on hard times. He died from tuberculosis, aged 46, in the Union Workhouse, City of London. He was buried in common ground in the City of London Cemetery, Manor Park, in an unmarked grave. However, his burial plot location was known, and in 2003, a memorial plaque was placed over the location of his grave. On the 165th anniversary of the action, it is great to commemorate Sims through today's blog post.