56 AWARDED FOR VALOUR
Courtney claimed that it had been he, not McWheeney, who had saved
Private Keane, and that McWheeney had been nowhere near him when he
himself was wounded, and thus could not have saved him. He claimed to
be the last man out of the quarries, despite his multiple wounds, which
supposedly had been the reason McWheeney had carried him out.^44 Upon
an inquiry from Horse Guards, the 44th produced a series of witnesses –
Lance Corporal (then private) William Doole, Private George Finch, Private
Robert Crookshanks – who confirmed the official report and McWheeney’s
actions as published in the citation. Courtney, they swore, had not even
been in the quarries on the day in question, having been shot before they
got there and as a result had been out of his head, raving, from the wound.^45
Colonel Stanley, the commanding officer of the 44th, bundled up all the
affidavits, a surgeon’s report confirming that Courtney had received only
one wound (a shot to the head that cost him his eye, not the multiple
wounds he claimed), and his own personal observation that Courtney was
‘incorrect’ in his recollection of events and passed them on to the Adjutant
General.^46 The Selection Board weighed the evidence and promptly rejected
Courtney’s claim.^47
Despite the rejection, Courtney maintained his claim that it had actually
been himself who had carried wounded Private John Keane through heavy
fire to a place of safety, not Sergeant McWheeney. He also claimed that
McWheeney lied about saving his [Courtney’s] life on 5 December 1854.
He continued to write to the Duke of Cambridge to reopen the investigation
of his claims. When this did not work he attempted to gain an audience
with Victoria herself to present his version of the events.^48 Oddly enough,
Courtney was a booster of McWheeney when the latter was initially recom-
mended for the VC by Colonel Stanley. He faded from the files by 1860,
apparently convinced he could gain no justice from the system.
Another VC claimant of the 44th was not put off so easily. Private Robert
Thimbleby wrote to the Duke of Cambridge requesting special consideration
of his claim to the VC for his services in the Crimea:
Being unable to procure the Commanding Officer’s consent to forward
my application for the Victoria Cross for distinguished service in the
CrimeaI feel myself entitled I beg most respectfully to solicit Your
Royal Highness’s attention to my claim. Trusting Your Royal Highness
will be pleased to cause an enquiry to be made into my conduct [and] as
to the cause of my Commanding Officer having refused to recommend
me for the Honor with others who have received the Order and whose
claims are not considered superior of my own.^49
lily
(lily)
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