Private John Connors VC

John Connors (some sources call him Joseph) was born in Davaugh, Listowel, County Kerry in Ireland, in October 1830. On 8th Sep 1855 at Sebastopol, Private Connors showed conspicuous gallantry at the assault on the Redan in personal conflict with the enemy. He rescued an officer of the 30th Regiment who was surrounded by Russians, by shooting one and bayoneting another. He was gazetted for the award of the VC on 24th Feb 1857. Connors reached the rank of corporal and died in Corfu on 22nd Aug 1858 and was buried there. The photo, which is generally accepted as being him, is a little suspect because it shows a corporal in the uniform of an artillery bombardier with two good conduct stripes on his right forearm. It is odd that there is no sign of the Victoria Cross medal which he would certainly have worn for the photograph.