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.
.
 James McKechnie
was born June 1826 in High Church, Paisley, Glasgow, Scotland. His parents were Colin and Jane McKechnie (nee McGregor). James married Elizabeth McLean. . He won his VC on 20 September 1854 when aged 28yrs at the Battle of the Alma & Sebastopol, Crimea in the Crimean War campaign . A sergeant in the Scots Fusilier Guards, British Army when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 20 September 1854 at the Battle of the Alma, Crimea, when the shot and fire from the batteries just in front of the battalion threw it into momentary disorder, it was forced out of its formation, becoming something of a huge triangle, with one corner pointing towards the enemy. A captain was carrying the Queen's Colour which had the pole smashed and 20 bullet holes through the silk. Sergeant McKechnie held up his revolver and dashed forward, rallying the men round the Colours. He was wounded in the action. . Following the successful conclusion of the battle, three other officers and men of the Scots Fusilier Guards were awarded the Victoria Cross for their heroic actions during the day - Captain Robert Lindsay, Sergeant John Knox and Private William Reynolds.
VC Presented 26 June 1857 by Queen Victoria at Hyde Park, London, England. ========================
Little is known of the post-military life of James McKechnie
other than
he died in Glasgow on 5th July 1886, aged sixty, and was buried in a
pauper's grave in the city's Eastern Necropolis.... how sad..DIED 5 July 1886 Aged 60
.
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