Story of soldier who killed colleague to be told in Newport walking tour

The tour around Newport, part of the HistoryPoints project, was launched in April last year and tells the stories of the city’s heroes and villains.

Walkers visit sites around Newport and scan QR codes with their smartphones which then allow them to download information.

The QR codes can be found at sites including pubs around the city. Stories include that of the Newport soldier who returned from the Boer War to kill his wife and the legendary warlord St Woolos who defended his church from pirates.

Now the latest story to be added is of John Byrne, one of the first soldiers to receive the Victoria Cross medal.

John Byrne, who later got a job with the Ordnance Survey in Newport, shot himself at his lodgings in Maindee in 1879 when he was about to be arrested for shooting a colleague who he believed had insulted the Victoria Cross.

Newport historian Shaun McGuire suggested the story be featured on the tour.

He said: “I think that John Byrne was perhaps the most ideal candidate for the tour.

“He joined the army before the Crimea war and spent some considerable time locked up by them because of his rebellious nature.

“When sent then to the Crimea he showed outstanding gallantry in saving another person’s life and then going into hand-to-hand combat with a Russian soldier killing him and capturing his musket.

“When sent to New Zealand, again showing tremendous courage fighting the Maoris all of which earned the Victoria Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal.

“His villain part though was looking for and taking a gun into work and shooting the young fellow in the arm for his total disrespect of the VC which John had undoubtedly earned.

“Sad because of his mental state at the time that such a hero should take his own life.”

The QR code to scan can be found at the Crown Inn pub. For more information about the story of John Byrne please visit historypoints.org