Turkish Crimean War Medal 1854-1856, awarded to Private John Connors VC, 3rd (The East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs)

John Connors, who is erroneously referred to as Joseph Connors in some sources, was born in County Kerry, Ireland and enlisted on 8 January 1849, when he was described as a labourer. He earned the Victoria Cross for 'conspicuous courage and devotion during the assault on the Redan' on 8 September 1855. Before he could receive his Victoria Cross, Connors tragically died. It is believed he fell to his death from the battlements of Port Neuf, on the island of Corfu, where the Buffs were then garrisoned, on 29 January 1857. Connors is buried on the island. The whereabouts of his VC is not known and it is possible that his widow, then living in County Galway, never received it.

It had been the intention of the Turkish Sultan to award all survivors of the Crimean Army with a silver medal, which he instituted in 1855. Approximately 75,000 medals were claimed by Britain. However not all these reached their destination, owing to a shortfall in production and the loss of a consignment of some 22,000 medals when the SS 'Pomona' sank near Malta on 22 February 1860. The shortage in British medals was made up to a great extent by issuing British soldiers with Sardinian or French versions.