THE heroism of a North-East regiment’s first Victoria Cross winner has been commemorated at a moving service in the region today (Sunday, November 3).

John Bryne was awarded the honour for bravery during the Crimean War with Russian forces almost 160 years ago.

The service at the Durham Light Infantry Museum in Durham saw ten members of his family come to the North-East from southern Ireland, where he was from.

Born in Castlecomer, Kilkenny, in 1832, John Byrne initially enlisted in the 1850, but rejoined on his release from prison to rejoin the 68 (Durham) Light Infantry when it sailed to the Crimea in 1854.

The 22-year-old private was involved in the savage fighting of the Battle of Inkerman outside the naval base of Sebastopol.

On November 4 that year, during a Russian counter attack, he ran back towards the enemy to rescue a badly wounded soldier, Anthony Harman.

The following year, on May 11, British trenches were attacked and during hand-to-hand fighting with a Russian soldier he killed him with a bayonet and captured his musket.

He was awarded the VC for these two acts, but went on to prove himself again during a battle with a Maori warrior who was armed with an axe.

Along with another DLI solider, Sergeant John Murray, they overpowered and killed the New Zealander, earning Byrne, who went on to become a sergeant, the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Sgt Murray himself got the VC.

Tragically, John Byrne took his own life in Newport in Wales 1879 when he was facing arrest for shooting man in the shoulder after he was disrespectful to him about his VC.

A bugler from Durham Army Cadet Force today played The Last Post and details of his life were read out to DLI veterans, serving members of The Rifles and members of his family before they took part in a wreath-laying at the regiment’s VC stone.

Mr Byrne’s great grand nephew, Billy Mulcahy, 68, said: “It is very important to us. We heard a lot about him when we were growing up from our parents and they were very proud of him. The service today means an awful lot to us.”

The service was led by Lieutenant Colonel John Heron, of The Faithful Inkerman Dinner Club and the names of the regiment’s other VC winners were also read out.

Major Chris Lawton MBE, regimental secretary of The Rifles in the North-East, said: “There were thousands of Irish people in the DLI because it was posted out there at the time. It was a home posting.

“But John Byrne was our first VC and this is a very important day for the regiment.”