Description
Long Service Good Conduct VR, Meritorious Service Medal, VR, 1528 Colour Sergeant John McGann, 63rd Foot.
Army LSGC officially engraved: “No 1528 Sergt John McGann. 63rd Regt. Decr 1858”
Army MSM officially impressed: “Sgt J. McGann. 63rd Foot.”
With copy service papers.
In 1881 the 63rd and 96th Foot combined together to become the Manchester Regiment.
John was born in Ballymacormick, County Longford, Ireland circa 1820.
He first signed up for service with the 63rd Foot in Glasgow, Scotland, on 2nd April 1840.
He would go on to serve 21 years 15 days with the regiment.
John was a model soldier, without a single blemish on his record.
Notably it took barely 2 years to rise to Corporal from Sergeant, and only 2 more years afterwards to become Sergeant which he would hold onto for 16 years until his retirement, leaving the service as a Colour Sergeant.
Of that 7 years were spent overseas in India or “East Indies”.
“His conduct has been very good. He would have been in possession of 5 good conduct badges had he not been promoted to the Rank of Sergeant.
He is in possession of the Silver Medal with a gratuity of £15 for Good Conduct and Long Service.
He has never been tried by a Court Martial or entered into the Regimental Defaulters Book.
He was not in possession of any good conduct badges when promoted to Sergeant.”
Enlisted 2nd April 1840, Private
Promoted Corporal, 1st December 1842
Promoted to Sergeant 14th August 1844 – 31st March 1857
Appointed as Colour Sergeant, 12th February 1859 to 16th April 1861.
With his retirement from the Army, he returned back to his native Ireland.
His later shown on the 1901 Census at the age of 82, living in Mountjoy, City of Dublin, Ireland.
Described as an “Army Pensioner” living with his wife Emily Ann McGann
