SERGEANT BERNARD DIAMOND VC
Bernard Diamond was born at Portglenone, County Antrim, in 1827.
He was approximately 30 years old, and a sergeant in the Bengal Horse Artillery, Bengal Army, during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place on the 28th September, 1857, at Bolandshahr, India for which he and Gunner Richard Fitzgerald were awarded the Victoria Cross:
Sergeant Diamond married a widow in 1854 named Mrs Mary Collins, whose family was from County Down. They emigrated to New Zealand in 1875 and settled eventually at Masterton.CITATION
"For an act of valour performed in action against the rebels and mutineers at Boolundshur, on the 28th September, 1857, when these two soldiers evinced the most determined bravery in working their gun under a very heavy fire of musketry, whereby they cleared the road of the enemy, after every other man belonging to it had been either killed or disabled by wounds". (Despatch of Major Turner, Bengal Horse Artillery, dated Boolundshur, 2nd October, 1857).
They had three or four children born to them in India.
He died in 1892.
Its a pity young John Spencer Dunville VC ,kia 1916 wasn't recorded here , he was born in London rather than at the family's Redburn mansion , Holywood and attended Eton rather than Campbell College , nonetheless Holywood town claim him as one of their own , his name duly listed on that town's War Memorial.
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