reduced rank of Gunner, to the 3rd Company of the 4th Battalion of Bengal Artillery. Smith successfully protested against the order, leading to its rescinding and Smith being sent back to the Bengal Sappers and Miners at his former rank of Sergeant. Smith remained at the depot in Rurki until the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny in May 1857 when the a force from the Bengal Sappers and Miners were ordered to the immediate aid of the station at Meerut. The arrival of this force at Meerut on 13 May 1857 was met with hostility, and the Meerut authorities demanded that the Bengal Sappers and Miners be disarmed, leading to the mutiny of a large number of the force (killing their commanding officer in the process) which then left to join the rebels at Delhi, leaving 45 Non-commissioned Officers and Privates, and 124 loyal Indian sappers. After two weeks at Meerut, this group was ordered to join the Delhi Field Force, with Smith serving in operations through the siege. Victoria Cross Smith was 43 years old, and a sergeant in the Bengal Sappers and Miners, Bengal Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 14 September 1857 at Delhi, British India, Sergeant Smith with two lieutenants (Duncan Charles Home and Philip Salkeld) and Bugler Robert Hawthorne showed conspicuous gallantry in the blowing in the Kashmir Gate in broad daylight under heavy fire. His citation reads: Later career Smith spent 1858 engaged in operations in Oudh and was awarded the Indian Mutiny Medal with "Delhi" clasp. In July 1859 Smith was appointed Sub-Conductor and acting Barrack Master for Jullundur and Phillour. Smith was promoted to Ensign on 17 March 1860. and later served as Barrack Master at Peshawar, Subathu and Darjeeling, returning in January 1864 to general duties at Amballa. While on leave in Jullundur, Smith contracted dysentery there and died on 26 June 1864, following which he was buried in the Artillery Cemetery in Jullundur. The location of Smith's Victoria Cross medal is unknown. A memorial plaque commemorating Smith was placed on the wall of Ticknall Village Hall in 2014. References External links Find A Grave entry for John Smith. British recipients of the Victoria Cross 1814 births 1864 deaths British East India Company Army soldiers Bengal Sappers and Miners personnel People from Ticknall Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients