The Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 111 members of the British Armed Forces during the Crimean War (also known as the Russian War) that lasted from 1854 to 1856. The Victoria Cross is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. The VC was introduced in Great Britain on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War. It takes precedence over all other Orders, decorations and medals; it may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The first ceremony was held on 26 June 1857 where Queen Victoria invested 62 of the 111 Crimean recipients in Hyde Park.[1]
In 1854, the Crimean War broke out between the Russian Empire and an alliance of France, Great Britain, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Ottoman Empire. One of the first battles of the War was the Battle of the Alma where allied forces convincingly defeated the Russian forces. The Siege of Sevastapol followed shortly after in September 1854; it was to last for a year at the cost of over 128,000 lives, three-quarters of which died from disease. After the siege at Sevastapol, the fighting mainly ceased and on 30 March 1856, after two years of action, the Russians negotiated a Peace Treaty at the Congress of Paris. The Treaty set the Black Sea as neutral territory, closing it to all warships, and prohibiting fortifications and the presence of armaments on its shores. The Crimean War led to a number of large-scale changes in the British Army. The sale of commissions came under great scrutiny during the war, especially in connection with the Battle of Balaclava, which saw the ill-fated Charge of the Light Brigade.[2] This scrutiny eventually led to the abolition of the sale of commissions.
The dispatches of William Howard Russell during the war highlighted how many acts of bravery and valour by British servicemen went unrewarded.[3] There was a growing feeling amongst the public and in the Royal Court that a new award was needed to recognise incidents of gallantry that were unconnected with a man's lengthy or meritorious service. Queen Victoria issued a warrant under the Royal sign-manual on 29 January 1856[3][4] (gazetted 5 February 1856)[4] that officially constituted the VC. The order was backdated to 1854 to recognise acts of valour during the Crimean War.[5] The first awards ceremony was held on 26 June 1857 where Queen Victoria invested 62 of the 111 Crimean recipients in a ceremony in Hyde Park.[3]
Citations for the Crimean War, particularly those in the first gazette of 24 February 1857, listed multiple actions for about a third of the recipients. The format of each citation varied between recipients, some specify the actual date, some the name of the battle and others have both sets of information.
Until 1907, it was policy not to award the VC posthumously. Between 1857 and 1901, nine notices were published in the London Gazette for soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, medals were sent to the next of kin of the three mentioned for the Boer War and at the same time the first three official posthumous awards, again for the Boer War, were gazetted. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the remaining six officers and men.[6] As a result of the change of policy, one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous but it was only in the general revision of the warrant issued in 1920 that a clause was inserted to explicitly allow posthumous awards.[7][8]
Recipients
edit| Name | Unit | Date of action | Place of action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Ablett | Grenadier Guards | 2 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Alexander | 90th Regiment of Foot | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Thomas Arthur | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 7 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Thomas Beach | 55th Regiment of Foot | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Edward Bell | Royal Welch Fusiliers | 20 September 1854 | Alma, Crimea |
| John Berryman | 17th Lancers | 25 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| Claud Bourchier | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) | 20 November 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Joseph Bradshaw | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) | 22 April 1855 | Woronzoff Road, Crimea |
| Cecil Buckley | HMS Miranda | 29 May 1855 | Sea of Azov, Crimea |
| Hugh Burgoyne | HMS Swallow | 29 May 1855 | Sea of Azov, Crimea |
| John Byrne | 68th Regiment of Foot | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| John Bythesea | HMS Arrogant | 9 August 1854 | Åland, Finland |
| Daniel Cambridge | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Henry Clifford | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| William Coffey | 34th Regiment of Foot | 29 March 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Coleman | 97th Regiment of Foot | 30 August 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Commerell | HMS Weser | 11 October 1855 | Sea of Azov, Crimea |
| John Connors | 3rd Regiment of Foot | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Conolly | 49th Regiment of Foot | 26 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Henry Cooper | HMS Miranda | 3 June 1855 | Taganrog, Crimea |
| James Craig | Scots Fusiliers Guards | 6 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| William Cuninghame | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) | 20 November 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Henry Curtis | Naval Brigade | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Edward Daniel | HMS Diamond | 18 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Gronow Davis | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| George Day | HMS Recruit | 17 September 1855 | Genitichi, Crimea |
| Collingwood Dickson | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 17 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Matthew Dixon | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 17 April 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| George Dowell | Royal Marine Artillery | 13 July 1855 | Fort of Viborg, Finland |
| Alexander Dunn | 11th Hussars | 25 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| Howard Elphinstone | Corps of Royal Engineers | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Frederick Elton | 55th Regiment of Foot | 29 March 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Thomas Esmonde | 18th Regiment of Foot | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Samuel Evans | 19th Regiment of Foot | 13 April 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Farrell | 17th Lancers | 25 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| George Gardiner | 57th Regiment of Foot | 22 March 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Gerald Goodlake | Coldstream Guards | 28 October 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| James Gorman | Naval Brigade | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Thomas Grady | 4th Regiment of Foot | 18 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Gerald Graham | Corps of Royal Engineers | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Grieve | Royal Scots Greys | 25 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| Thomas Hale | 7th Regiment of Foot | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Thomas Hamilton | 68th Regiment of Foot | 11 May 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Andrew Henry | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| William Hewett | HMS Beagle | 26 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| William Hope | 7th Regiment of Foot | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Mathew Hughes | 7th Regiment of Foot | 7 June 1855 18 June 1855[9] |
Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Robert Humpston | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) | 22 April 1855 | Woronzoff Road, Crimea |
| George Ingouville | HMS Arrogant | 13 July 1855 | Fort of Viborg, Finland |
| William Johnstone | HMS Arrogant | 9 August 1854 | Åland Islands, Finland |
| Henry Jones | 7th Regiment of Foot | 7 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Joseph Kellaway | HMS Wrangler | 31 August 1855 | Sea of Azov, Crimea |
| John Knox | Scots Fusiliers Guards | 20 September 1854 | Alma, Crimea |
| Peter Leitch | Corps of Royal Engineers | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| William Lendrim | Corps of Royal Engineers | 14 February 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Wilbraham Lennox | Corps of Royal Engineers | 20 November 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Robert Lindsay | Scots Fusiliers Guards | 20 September 1854 | Alma, Crimea |
| Charles Lucas | HMS Hecla | 21 June 1854 | Åland Islands, Finland |
| Charles Lumley | 97th Regiment of Foot | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Lyons | 19th Regiment of Foot | 10 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Henry MacDonald | Corps of Royal Engineers | 19 April 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Ambrose Madden | 41st Regiment of Foot | 26 October 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Joseph Malone | 13th Light Dragoons | 25 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| Frederick Maude | 3rd Regiment of Foot | 5 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Charles McCorrie | 57th Regiment of Foot | 23 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John McDermond | 47th Regiment of Foot | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Roderick McGregor | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) | July 1855[10] | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| James McKechnie | Scots Fusilier Guards | 20 September 1854 | Alma, Crimea |
| William McWheeney | 44th Regiment of Foot | 20 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Frederick Miller | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| James Mouat | 6th Dragoons | 26 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| Andrew Moynihan | 90th Regiment of Foot | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| William Norman | 7th Regiment of Foot | 19 December 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Luke O'Connor | Royal Welch Fusiliers | 20 September 1854 | Alma, Crimea |
| James Owens | 49th Regiment of Foot | 30 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Anthony Palmer | Grenadier Guards | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| John Park | 77th Regiment of Foot | 19 April 1855[11] | Alma, Crimea Inkerman, Crimea |
| Samuel Parkes | 4th Light Dragoons | 25 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| William Peel | Naval Brigade | 18 October 1854[12] 5 November 1854 18 June 1855 |
Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Henry Percy | Grenadier Guards | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| John Perie | Corps of Royal Engineers | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Prettyjohns | Royal Marine Light Infantry | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Joseph Prosser | 1st Regiment of Foot | 16 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Henry Raby | Naval Brigade | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Henry Ramage | 2nd Dragoons | 25 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| Thomas Reeves | Naval Brigade | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| William Reynolds | Scots Fusiliers Guards | 20 September 1854 | Alma, Crimea |
| William Rickard | HMS Weser | 11 October 1855 | Sea of Azov, Crimea |
| John Robarts | HMS Ardent | 29 May 1855 | Sea of Azov, Crimea |
| John Ross | Corps of Royal Engineers | 21 July 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Hugh Rowlands | 41st Regiment of Foot | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Charles Russell | Grenadier Guards | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Mark Scholefield | Naval Brigade | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| John Sheppard | Naval Brigade | 15 July 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Robert Shields | Royal Welch Fusiliers | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Sims | 34th Regiment of Foot | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Philip Smith | 17th Regiment of Foot | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| William Stanlake | Coldstream Guards | 26 October 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| George Strong | Coldstream Guards | September 1855[13] | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| John Sullivan | Naval Brigade | 10 April 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| William Sylvester | Royal Welch Fusiliers | 8 September 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| George Symons | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 6 June 1855 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| John Taylor | Naval Brigade | 18 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Christopher Teesdale | Royal Regiment of Artillery | 29 September 1855 | Kars, Turkey |
| Joseph Trewavas | HMS Beagle | 3 July 1855 | Sea of Azov, Crimea |
| Mark Walker | 30th Regiment of Foot | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| George Walters | 49th Regiment of Foot | 5 November 1854 | Inkerman, Crimea |
| Francis Wheatley | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) | 12 October 1854 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Thomas Wilkinson | Royal Marine Artillery | 7 June 1855 | Sevastopol, Crimea |
| Charles Wooden | 17th Lancers | 26 October 1854 | Balaclava, Crimea |
| Alexander Wright | 77th Regiment of Foot | 22 March 1855 19 April 1855[11] |
Sevastopol, Crimea |
References
edit- General
- "Victoria Cross Registers". National Archives (UK). Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
- Ashcroft, Michael (2006). Victoria Cross Heroes. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7553-1632-0.
- Crook, M.J. (1975). The Evolution of the Victoria Cross. Midas books. ISBN 0-85936-041-5.
- Specific
- ^ Ashcroft, Michael; preface; XI–XIII
- ^ "The Crimean War 1853–1856". Armed Conflicts Database. Archived from the original on 3 July 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
- ^ a b c Ashcroft, Michael; Preface to Victoria Cross Heroes
- ^ a b "No. 21846". The London Gazette. 5 February 1856. pp. 410–411. The Gazette publishing the original Royal Warrant
- ^ Ashcroft, Michael; pp.7–10
- ^ "No. 27986". The London Gazette. 15 January 1907. p. 325.
- ^ Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp. 68–90
- ^ "No. 31946". The London Gazette. 18 June 1920. p. 6702.
- ^ "No. 21971". The London Gazette. 24 February 1857. p. 658.
- ^ "No. 21971". The London Gazette. 24 February 1857. p. 662.
- ^ a b "No. 21971". The London Gazette. 24 February 1857. p. 661.
- ^ Peel was awarded the Victoria Cross for three separate actions.
"No. 21971". The London Gazette. 24 February 1857. pp. 651–652. - ^ "No. 21971". The London Gazette. 24 February 1857. p. 657.