Battle of Saragarhi: How an Irish Australian nanny ‘disregarded flying bullets' to nurse the wounded

Nanny and nurse Teresa McGrath found herself tending to the wounded during the 1897 Battle of Saragarhi. She was later awarded the Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria for her courage at Fort Gulistan.

Teresa McGrath at Fort Gulistan. Credit: Supplied by Peter W. Halligan

Key Points

• Teresa McGrath was awarded the Royal Red Cross at a time when women weren’t particularly decorated or awarded for their service.
• She worked day and night helping Eleanor Des Voeux’s delivery of her third child and treating Sikh soldiers who were wounded in battle.
• Queen Victoria bestowed the award on the nurse in person.

Peter W. Halligan, a neuroscientist from London who is a relative of Teresa McGrath, shared her remarkable story with SBS Punjabi.

While researching his family background and Ms McGrath as a Royal Red Cross awardee, Professor Halligan came across SBS Punjabi articles from 2019 that highlighted her exceptional courage and got in touch to share further details about her life.

Teresa's journey from Ireland

Born on 28 June, 1765, in Ireland, Ms McGrath was the daughter of Philip McGrath and Maria Halligan. At age 20, in 1886, she travelled to Brisbane on the “Duke of Buckingham”, following her sister and brother, who had both moved to Australia the year before.

Professor Halligan mentioned that, “here, she took up the job of being a nanny and nurse to Major Charles Des Voeux’s two children.”

Major Des Voeux joined the 36th Sikh Regiment of the Bengal Infantry in the North West Frontier Province, and Ms McGrath travelled with the family to India.

Eleanor Des Voeux (centre), her four children (Alice, Henry and Seymour and newborn Violet Samana with elderly nurse), and nurse Teresa McGrath (R) taken after the siege Fort Gulistan in September 1897. Credit: Major A.C Yate's "The Life of Lieutenant Colonel John Haughton" (1900)

Professor Halligan said he had further learned about his ancestor's brave acts after stumbling upon SBS Punjabi's articles on the Battle of Saragarhi while researching his family history.

She “accompanied them (the Des Voeux family) wherever they went," he said.

She wasn’t in the military; she was looking after the children and expectant mother, Eleanor (Major Des Voeux’s wife).

Professor Peter W. Halligan

Battle of Saragarhi

The Battle of Saragarhi took place in the Samana Ranges on 12 September 1897, at a small British outpost, Fort Gulistan. Here, anywhere between 10,000 and 12,000 Pashtuns attacked the post, leading to a siege defended by 21 Sikh soldiers that lasted three days.

Led by Havildar Ishar Singh, the brave soldiers fought until their last breath, killing and wounding hundreds of their attackers.

Major Charles Des Voeux (sitting, middle) with his men from the 36th Sikh Regiment Credit: Captain Jay Singh-Sohal, British Library

Hero nurse who tended the wounded

Professor Halligan shared excerpts from "The Life of Lieutenant Colonel John Haughton", a biography on the commanding officer of the 36th Sikh Regiment written by Major A.C Yate. Published in 1900, this biography provides a detailed account of the Battle of Saragarhi and details those involved.

Teresa McGrath, their nurse, showed great courage and fortitude, attending to the wounded, and helping in any way she could without (a) thought for herself.

Professor Peter W. Halligan

He also shared Timothy Fogarty’s letter to the Freeman's Journal editor, calling for her to receive the Victoria Cross as, “she seemed to disregard the flying bullets while ministering to the wants of the wounded” during the Battle of Saragarhi.

Excerpt from the letter to the editor of the Freeman's Journal written by Timothy Fogarty. Credit: Supplied by Peter W. Halligan

The biography further describes the heroine of Fort Gulistan as, “Surgeon-Captain Prall had untiringly tended the wounded under heavy fire, helped by Miss Teresa McGrath, Mrs Des Voeux’s maid, who, amid the flying bullets, could be seen here, bathing a wounded sepoy’s head, and there, tying up another’s arm until the doctor should come.”

Professor Halligan said, “It’s quite amazing for a person who has no military training and exposure and the fact she’d look after injured Sikh soldiers and appeared to be very cheery and worked day and night and didn’t seem to be scared for her own safety when looking after others.”  

Queen Victoria also wrote in her diary that she was very brave and called her back to talk to her in private about the Battle of Saragarhi.

A Daily Chronicle excerpt recommending Teresa McGrath for the award of the Royal Red Cross. Credit: Supplied by Peter W. Halligan. Source: Photo of Medal from Halligan Family History and newspaper clip from Newspaper Archive.

Red Cross award recipient

According to Professor Halligan, the Royal Red Cross was for women of the Military Nursing Service who displayed exceptional acts of bravery and devotion while on duty.

She was awarded the Red Cross at a time when women weren’t particularly decorated or awarded for their service.

Professor Peter W. Halligan

She received the award from Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on 11 May, 1899, with the queen writing in her journal that she thought Ms McGrath had, "behaved most heroically".

Teresa McGrath was awarded in person by Queen Victoria. Source: Halligan Family History

Later life spent in India

After the battle, Professor Halligan said Teresa had returned to England and continued her duties as a nanny for the Des Voeux family there.

She returned to India in 1907, aged 36, where she married Drum Major George Lawrence of the Second Gordan Highlanders on 6 February, 1907, at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Kohat, Pakistan.

“Unfortunately, her marriage was (very) short-lived. She died from malarial fever on 4 December, 1907, in Peshawar,” he said.

She was buried in the Jamrud Road Cemetery, which lies within a current-day Pakistani Air Force Base.

Click the audio button to listen to the full interview with Professor Halligan.