b. 1835 Seaham, County Durham. d. 11/07/1858 Umballa, India.
Robert Newell (1835-1858) was born in 1835 in Seaham, County Durham. At a young age, he enlisted with the 9th Lancers. Little is sadly known about Private Newell other than his brief citation, published on 24th December 1858.
Robert Newell VC
On 19th March 1858, during the assault on the city of Lucknow, Private Newell went to the assistance of a comrade whose horse had stumbled and fallen on the rocky ground. Newell raced over, and managed to bring the man to safety, under the heavy musket fire from the rebels.
Sadly, Newell would not live to even hear of the award of the VC. Soon after his action at Lucknow, he contracted dysentery, and died on 11th July 1858 at Umballa. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Umballa Cemetery. His medal was sent by registered post to his widow, and is now part of the Ashcroft Collection in the Imperial War Museum.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: LORD ASHCROFT GALLERY, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, LONDON.
BURIAL PLACE: UMBALLA CEMETERY, UMBALLA, INDIA. (UNMARKED GRAVE).
