Victoria Cross : Private Frederick Whirlpool, 3rd Bombay European Regiment, Honourable East India Company

Victoria Cross. Reverse suspender with recipient's details; reverse cross with date of action.

Humphrey James, better known by his alias Frederick Whirlpool, was born in County Carlow, Ireland in 1831. He left school around 16 years old and worked as a clerk with the Dundalk Poor Law Union. In 1854, following a quarrel with his father in which his temper was likened to a ‘whirlpool’, James joined the Honourable East India Company Army for service in India under the name Frederick Whirlpool. It is possible that Frederick was his first given name, though he was known as Humphrey. James, now Whirlpool, was posted to No. 5 Company, 3rd Bombay European Regiment.

Whirlpool arrived in Bombay on 26 March 1855. Education was valued among the recruits by the Company, and the widely read Whirlpool was made assistant schoolmaster. In 1857, Whirlpool’s unit was mobilised following the Indian uprising beginning at Meerut on 10 May. Following the capture of the fort city of Jhansi in March 1858, Whirlpool was Mentioned in Despatches for rescuing wounded comrades under heavy fire at the base of the fort wall. His conduct at Jhansi would later form part of a Victoria Cross recommendation.

An even more courageous action marked Whirlpool’s participation in an assault on the village fort of Lohari on 2 May. He was near the front of a charge, through a narrow curved passageway. The tight space with low walls was designed to make an attacker vulnerable to defenders on either side. One of the company’s officers, Lieutenant Frederick Donne, was wounded and fell directly in front of Whirlpool. Whirlpool stood between the officer and his assailants and protected him from further harm until the attack was won. In the process, Whirlpool received 17 severe sword cuts, including a deep neck wound and a fractured skull. For these actions, and those at Jhansi, Whirlpool was awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation reads:

‘For gallantly volunteering on the 3rd of April 1958, in the attack of Jhansi, to return and carry away several killed and wounded, which he did twice under very heavy fire from the wall; also, for devoted bravery at the Assault of Lohari on the 2nd of May, 1858, in rushing to the rescue of Lieutenant Doune [sic], of the Regiment, who was dangerously wounded. In this service, Private Whirlpool received 17 desperate wounds, one of which nearly severed his head from his body. The gallant example shewn by this man is considered to have greatly contributed to the success of the day.’

Following months of convalescence, Whirlpool was pensioned off from the army as medically unfit on 2 February 1859. He migrated to Australia from India and the following year joined the Hawthorn and Kew Volunteer Rifles. Wearing his militia uniform, Whirlpool was invested with his Victoria Cross on 20 June 1861 by Lady Anne Maria Barkly, the wife of Sir Henry Barkly, Governor of Victoria. It was the first time a Victoria Cross had been pinned to an Australian uniform.

Whirlpool had a troubled start to his new life in Australia. At various times he was a policeman or teacher with positions in Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales, alternating between his real name and his alias.
In the final years of his life he lived a hermit like existence at McGrath’s Hill near Windsor, New South Wales as Humphrey James. He had one confidant to whom he entrusted information of his life, John Dick Smith, on whose land he lived.

Whirlpool died on 24 June 1899 and was buried in an unmarked grave in the Windsor Presbyterian Cemetery. Smith was the only mourner to attend his funeral. The location of the grave has since been lost.

Reference and further information see:

Alan Leek, 'Frederick Whirlpool VC: Australia’s hidden Victoria Cross', Big Sky Publishing, Newport, 2018.