Sergeant William McWhinney VC
Sgt McWhinney (also known as
McWheeney) volunteered as a sharpshooter at the commencement of
the siege of Sebastopol and was in charge of the party of the
44th, was always vigilant and active and signalised himself on
the 26th October 1854 when one of the party, Private John Keane,
was dangerously wounded in the Woronzoff Road.
At the time the sharp shooters were
repulsed from the quarries by overwhelming numbers.
Sergeant McWhinney, on his return, took
the wounded man on his back and brought him to a place of
safety. This was under very heavy fire.
He was also the means of saving the life
of Corporal John Courtenay. This man was one of the
sharpshooters and was severely wounded in the head on 5 December
1854.
Sgt McWhinney brought him from under fire
and dug up a slight cover with his bayonet where the two
remained until after dark when they retired.
Sergeant Whiney volunteered for the
advance guard in the cemetery on 18th June 1855 and was never
absent from duty during the war.
The VC was presented to Sgt McWhinney
personally by Queen Victoria on 17 June 1857.
The
VC is held at the Essex Regiment Museum.
