John Divane
John Divane, also known as Devine and Duane, was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Biography
He was born in Carrabane, County Galway and died at 1 New Street, Penzance, Cornwall on 1 December 1888 and, was buried in an unmarked grave in Penzance cemetery. A headstone was installed in 1995 during a ceremony attended by Field Marshal Lord Bramall and in 2015 a plaque was unveiled at 35 New Street, Penzance.Apparently only semi-literate, Duane put "the tail" on the wrong side of his "u" on his signature, which led to confusion about the correct spelling of his surname in official records. Duane is one of several soldiers from Carrabane to fight with distinction in theatres of war throughout the nineteenth century.