SOLDIER OF THE MONTH

Captain John Christopher Guise VC

90th Regiment
(Later Lieutenant-General Sir John Christopher Guise, V.C. C.B.)

John Christopher Guise was born on 27 July 1826 in Gloucestershire. His father was Lt.-General Sir John Wright Guise Bart. KCB. John was first placed on the list of candidates or Ensign 'By Purchase' in June 1840 as he was about to go to The Military College, Sandhurst.  In his letter to Lord Hill at Horse Guards applying to have his son on the list, Sir John also added that if there was any possibility for a Colonelcy of a regiment for himself he hoped that favourable consideration would be taken of his services in Egypt, the Continent and the Peninsular. However, this apparently came to nothing.

John Christopher was eventually awarded an Ensigncy ‘By Purchase’ in the 90th Regiment in June 1845 after his father had again written to Lord Somerset from an address in Belgrave Square, London.  He wrote to say that John had been complimented with a prize from Sandhurst for good conduct and for Military Drawing and that he would like to introduce him to Somerset as he was now anxious regarding the award of a commission.

After purchasing a Lieutenancy in 1848 John was appointed Captain ‘Without Purchase’ in June 1854, shortly before the Crimean War.  However, he soon suffered ill health and left to return to England on 1 January 1855 on ‘Unlimited Leave’.  He nevertheless qualified for the campaign Crimea War Medal with Sebastopol Clasp and, presumably, the Turkish Medal.

He was a Major when he was engaged in further actions during the Indian Mutiny that resulted in him being awarded the Victoria Cross.  The particular event occurred on the 16 and 17 November 1857 whilst fighting at Lucknow when Major Guise, together with Sergeant Samuel Hill saved the life of a captain at the storming of the Secundrabagh palace and also went in under heavy fire to help two wounded men.  He is recorded as having acted with gallantry throughout the entire Crimean War and the operations for the Relief of the Lucknow Garrison. The award of his VC was recorded in the London Gazette on the 24 December 1858.  He was also awarded the campaign Indian Mutiny Medal with Relief of Lucknow and Lucknow clasps. Guise’s medals are in the collection of the Museum, as well as photographs of him and a sketch by him, made at Sebastopol in 1856.

Guise attained Lieutenant Colonel ‘By Purchase’ in January 1860 when Lieutenant Colonel Purnell retired and finally commanded the regiment from November 1861 to June of 1864.  He went on to become a Lieutenant General in the British Army after having been awarded the C.B.  From 1890 he was the Colonel of the Leicestershire Regiment.

Although Guise was reputedly born at Highnam, Gloucestershire on the 27 July 1828, the 1881 Population Census Returns taken at the home of his brother in law, John W Stratford, a JP and Farmer, records him as married and a Major General aged 55 years born at Little Dean in Gloucester. He reputedly died on the 5 February 1895 at Gorey, County Wexford, Ireland and was buried in the Gorey Churchyard.

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This biography was researched by Patricia Martin and the original design and layout was by Katie Barclay, with photographic scanning by Joanne McPhie. The research was funded by the Trustees of the Cameronians.