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Rededication of grave
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Having fallen into disrepair, the grave of Thomas Kavanagh VC at North Front cemetery has been repaired and restored and, at a short ceremony attended by members of the Royal Engineers Association, the grave has now been rededicated.
Thomas Kavanagh, one of only a handful of civilians ever to be awarded the Victoria Cross, had been serving in Lucknow as a member of the Indian Civil Service when, in 1857 during the Indian Mutiny, the city of Lucknow was besieged for several months. Lacking in food and ammunition, the situation was becoming critical so Kavanagh volunteered to disguise himself as an Indian and find a way through the besieging mutineers in order to guide the relief column into the city. Only when success had been achieved did his wife learn of his absence! As a result of Thomas? bravery, he was awarded the Victoria Cross in July 1959.
Following a later visit to England, he was returning to India on the SS Khedive when he fell ill and he was put ashore in Gibraltar where he died on 12 November 1882.
This story surfaced when Dave Eveson of the Heritage Trust found Kavanagh?s headstone after learning of the story from George Coleing of the Gibraltar branch of the Royal Engineers Association.
? The grave was repaired and restored by Charles Anes and Son, and the work was sponsored by local law firm of Isolas.
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