b. 08/1824 Gort, County Galway, Ireland. d. 23/07/1864 Galway, Ireland.
Thomas Laughnan (1824-1864) is an Irish recipient of whom very little is known. He was born in August 1824 in Gort, County Galway, Ireland, and he enlisted as a gunner with the Bengal Artillery on 14th July 1844.
Victoria Cross
Laughnan was in India when the Mutiny broke out and was heavily involved in the Relief of Lucknow between 14th and 22nd November 1857. Sadly, there is no official records of the actual action that Laughnan did between those dates to be elected for the VC by his fellow comrades under the 13th clause of the Royal Warrant of 29th January 1856.
There is also no record of when or where Laughnan was presented with his medal, though it is thought it was mailed to him sometime in 1859. When he was pensioned from the Army, he returned to his native Ireland, where he died in County Galway on 23rd July 1864, aged just 40. Sadly, his final burial place is unknown, though is believed to be in County Galway. His medals are held by the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: ROYAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM, WOOLWICH, LONDON.
(NOT ON DISPLAY IN JAN 2015).
BURIAL PLACE: UNKNOWN GRAVE, COUNTY GALWAY, IRELAND.
