View source for John Dunlay

{{Short description|Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross (1831–1890)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2025}}

{{Infobox military person
|name= John Dunlea
|birth_date=1831
|death_date= 17 October 1890 (aged 58–59)
|birth_place= [[Douglas, County Cork]]
|death_place=[[Cork (city)|Cork]]
|placeofburial=St Joseph's Cemetery, Cork
|image= Sikandra Bagh exterior.jpg
|caption=Secundra Bagh showing the first breach of the walls
|nickname=
|allegiance= {{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}}
|serviceyears=
|rank=[[Private (rank)|Private]]
|branch=[[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]
|commands=
|unit=[[93rd Regiment of Foot]]
|battles=[[Indian Mutiny]]
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]
|laterwork=
}}
'''John Dunlay''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (1831 – 17 October 1890), also known as '''John Dunley''' or '''John Dunlea''', was an Irish recipient of 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 of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

He was approximately 26 years old and a lance corporal in the [[93rd Regiment of Foot]] (later [[the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]]), [[British Army]], during the [[Indian Mutiny]] when the following deed took place on 16 November 1857 at [[Lucknow]], India, for which he was awarded the VC:
{{Quote|Lance-Corporal J. Dunlay. Date of Act of Bravery, 16th November, 1857<br>
For being the first man, now surviving, of the Regiment, who, on the 16th November, 1857 entered one of the breaches in the Secundra Bagh, at Lucknow, with Captain Burroughs, whom he most gallantly supported against superior numbers.<br>
Elected by the private soldiers of the Regiment.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22212|page=5514|date=24 December 1858}}</ref>}}

[[Sikandar Bagh|Secundra Bagh]] is a villa and country estate on the outskirts of Lucknow, India.

Dunlea was born in [[Douglas, County Cork]], and died in the South Infirmary, [[Cork (city)|Cork]], on 17 October 1890.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* ''[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]]'' (1981, 1988 and 1997)
* {{cite journal|first=Brian D. H.|last=Clarke|title=A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men|journal=[[The Irish Sword]]|volume=XVI|issue=64|pages=185–287|year=1986}}
* ''[[Ireland's VCs]]'' (Dept of Economic Development, 1995)
* ''[[Monuments to Courage]]'' (David Harvey, 1999)
* ''[[Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross]]'' (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201110231406/http://www.hwy56.com/warlinks/memories/barker/ash.htm History of Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041028141855/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/cocork.htm Location of grave and VC medal in County Cork]
{{Royal Regiments of Scotland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunlay, John}}
[[Category:1831 births]]
[[Category:1890 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century Irish people]]
[[Category:Irish soldiers in the British Army]]
[[Category:Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders soldiers]]
[[Category:Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Military personnel from County Cork]]