Frederick Whirlpool - Early Life and Military Career

Early Life and Military Career

Little is known of Whirlpool's early life. He is believed to have been born as "Frederick Conker" in Liverpool, in either 1829 or 1830, although some sources state that he was born in London. Early in his childhood, it is believed that his family moved to Ireland where he attended an Irish Protestant school. Upon completion of his education he found himself working as a clerk, a job that he hated. Following an argument with his father, he left Ireland to enlist in the army of the East India Company.

Upon enlistment he assumed the name of Frederick Whirlpool, which he later explained was due to his father's characterisation of his temper. He arrived in Bombay in 1855 and joined the 3rd Bombay European Regiment (later The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment). Although he was assigned the role of an assistant schoolmaster, in early April 1858, during the Indian Mutiny, Whirlpool's regiment was sent to Jhansi, to recapture it from mutineers who had taken it the previous year. Whirlpool subsequently found himself in the thick of the fighting.

Over the course of a month Whirlpool distinguished himself to his superiors on a number of occasions. The first instance came in early April when, during the fighting in Jhansi, braving heavy fire and at great personal risk he rescued two wounded men who had fallen in the open. Later, in May, during an assault on Lohari, he single-handedly defended a wounded subaltern who had fallen in the open and subsequently been surrounded by enemy soldiers. For his actions during this time, Whirlpool was nominated for the Victoria Cross, which was the British military's highest decoration for gallantry. The award was announced in the London Gazette on 21 October 1859, which stated the following:

For gallantly volunteering on the 3rd of April, 1858, in the attack of Jhansi, to return and carry away several killed and wounded, which he did twice under a very heavy fire from the wall; also, for devoted bravery at the Assault of Lohari on the 2nd of May, 1858, in rushing to the rescue of Lieutenant Doune, of the Regiment, who was dangerously wounded. In this service, Private Whirlpool received seventeen desperate wounds, one of which nearly severed his head from his body. The gallant example shown by this man is considered to have greatly contributed to the success of the day.