List of Crimean War Victoria Cross recipients

Sergeant Luke O'Conner Winning the Victoria Cross at the Battle of Alma (1854). Oil by Louis William Desanges.

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

NameUnitDate of actionPlace of action
Ablett, AlfredAlfred AblettGrenadier Guards2 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Alexander, JohnJohn Alexander90th Regiment of Foot18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Arthur, ThomasThomas ArthurRoyal Regiment of Artillery7 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Beach, ThomasThomas Beach55th Regiment of Foot5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Bell, EdwardEdward BellRoyal Welch Fusiliers20 September 1854Alma, Crimea
Berryman, JohnJohn Berryman17th Lancers25 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Bourchier, ClaudClaud BourchierRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)20 November 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Joseph BradshawRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)22 April 1855Woronzoff Road, Crimea
Buckley, CecilCecil BuckleyHMS Miranda29 May 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea
Burgoyne, HughHugh BurgoyneHMS Swallow29 May 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea
Byrne, JohnJohn Byrne68th Regiment of Foot5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Bythesea, JohnJohn BytheseaHMS Arrogant9 August 1854Åland Islands, Finland
Cambridge, DanielDaniel CambridgeRoyal Regiment of Artillery8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Clifford, HenryHenry CliffordRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Coffey, WilliamWilliam Coffey34th Regiment of Foot29 March 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Coleman, JohnJohn Coleman97th Regiment of Foot30 August 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Commerell, JohnJohn CommerellHMS Weser11 October 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea
Connors, JohnJohn Connors3rd Regiment of Foot8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Conolly, JohnJohn Conolly49th Regiment of Foot26 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Cooper, HenryHenry CooperHMS Miranda3 June 1855Taganrog, Crimea
Craig, JamesJames CraigScots Fusiliers Guards6 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Cuninghame, WilliamWilliam CuninghameRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)20 November 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Curtis, HenryHenry CurtisNaval Brigade18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Daniel, EdwardEdward DanielHMS Diamond18 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Davis, GronowGronow DavisRoyal Regiment of Artillery8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Day, GeorgeGeorge DayHMS Recruit17 September 1855Genitichi, Crimea
Dickson, CollingwoodCollingwood DicksonRoyal Regiment of Artillery17 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Dixon, MatthewMatthew DixonRoyal Regiment of Artillery17 April 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Dowell, GeorgeGeorge DowellRoyal Marine Artillery13 July 1855Fort of Viborg, Finland
Dunn, AlexanderAlexander Dunn11th Hussars25 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Elphinstone, HowardHoward ElphinstoneCorps of Royal Engineers18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Elton, FrederickFrederick Elton55th Regiment of Foot29 March 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Esmonde, ThomasThomas Esmonde18th Regiment of Foot18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Evans, SamuelSamuel Evans19th Regiment of Foot13 April 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Farrell, JohnJohn Farrell17th Lancers25 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Gardiner, GeorgeGeorge Gardiner57th Regiment of Foot22 March 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Goodlake, GeraldGerald GoodlakeColdstream Guards28 October 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Gorman, JamesJames GormanNaval Brigade5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Grady, ThomasThomas Grady4th Regiment of Foot18 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Graham, GeraldGerald GrahamCorps of Royal Engineers18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Grieve, JohnJohn GrieveRoyal Scots Greys25 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Hale, ThomasThomas Hale7th Regiment of Foot8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Hamilton, ThomasThomas Hamilton68th Regiment of Foot11 May 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Henry, AndrewAndrew HenryRoyal Regiment of Artillery5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Hewett, WilliamWilliam HewettHMS Beagle26 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Hope, WilliamWilliam Hope7th Regiment of Foot18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Hughes, MathewMathew Hughes7th Regiment of Foot7 June 1855
18 June 1855[9]
Sevastopol, Crimea
Humpston, RobertRobert HumpstonRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)22 April 1855Woronzoff Road, Crimea
Ingouville, GeorgeGeorge IngouvilleHMS Arrogant13 July 1855Fort of Viborg, Finland
Johnstone, WilliamWilliam JohnstoneHMS Arrogant9 August 1854Åland Islands, Finland
Jones, HenryHenry Jones7th Regiment of Foot7 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Kellaway, JosephJoseph KellawayHMS Wrangler31 August 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea
Knox, JohnJohn KnoxScots Fusiliers Guards20 September 1854Alma, Crimea
Leitch, PeterPeter LeitchCorps of Royal Engineers18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Lendrim, WilliamWilliam LendrimCorps of Royal Engineers14 February 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Lennox, WilbrahamWilbraham LennoxCorps of Royal Engineers20 November 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Lindsay, RobertRobert LindsayScots Fusiliers Guards20 September 1854Alma, Crimea
Lucas, CharlesCharles LucasHMS Hecla21 June 1854Åland Islands, Finland
Lumley, CharlesCharles Lumley97th Regiment of Foot8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Lyons, JohnJohn Lyons19th Regiment of Foot10 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
MacDonald, HenryHenry MacDonaldCorps of Royal Engineers19 April 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Madden, AmbroseAmbrose Madden41st Regiment of Foot26 October 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Malone, JosephJoseph Malone13th Light Dragoons25 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Maude, FrederickFrederick Maude3rd Regiment of Foot5 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
McCorrie, CharlesCharles McCorrie57th Regiment of Foot23 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
McDermond, JohnJohn McDermond47th Regiment of Foot5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
McGregor, RoderickRoderick McGregorRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)July 1855[10]Sevastopol, Crimea
McKechnie, JamesJames McKechnieScots Fusilier Guards20 September 1854Alma, Crimea
McWheeney, WilliamWilliam McWheeney44th Regiment of Foot20 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Miller, FrederickFrederick MillerRoyal Regiment of Artillery5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Mouat, JamesJames Mouat6th Dragoons26 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Moynihan, AndrewAndrew Moynihan90th Regiment of Foot8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Norman, WilliamWilliam Norman7th Regiment of Foot19 December 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
O'Connor, LukeLuke O'ConnorRoyal Welch Fusiliers20 September 1854Alma, Crimea
Owens, JamesJames Owens49th Regiment of Foot30 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Palmer, AnthonyAnthony PalmerGrenadier Guards5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Park, JohnJohn Park77th Regiment of Foot19 April 1855[11]Alma, Crimea
Inkerman, Crimea
Parkes, SamuelSamuel Parkes4th Light Dragoons25 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Peel, WilliamWilliam PeelNaval Brigade18 October 1854[12]
5 November 1854
18 June 1855
Sevastopol, Crimea
Percy, HenryHenry PercyGrenadier Guards5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Perie, JohnJohn PerieCorps of Royal Engineers18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Prettyjohns, JohnJohn PrettyjohnsRoyal Marine Light Infantry5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Prosser, JosephJoseph Prosser1st Regiment of Foot16 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Raby, HenryHenry RabyNaval Brigade18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Ramage, HenryHenry Ramage2nd Dragoons25 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Reeves, ThomasThomas ReevesNaval Brigade5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Reynolds, WilliamWilliam ReynoldsScots Fusiliers Guards20 September 1854Alma, Crimea
Rickard, WilliamWilliam RickardHMS Weser11 October 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea
Robarts, JohnJohn RobartsHMS Ardent29 May 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea
Ross, JohnJohn RossCorps of Royal Engineers21 July 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Rowlands, HughHugh Rowlands41st Regiment of Foot5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Russell, CharlesCharles RussellGrenadier Guards5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Scholefield, MarkMark ScholefieldNaval Brigade5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Sheppard, JohnJohn SheppardNaval Brigade15 July 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Shields, RobertRobert ShieldsRoyal Welch Fusiliers8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Sims, JohnJohn Sims34th Regiment of Foot18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Smith, PhilipPhilip Smith17th Regiment of Foot18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Stanlake, WilliamWilliam StanlakeColdstream Guards26 October 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Strong, GeorgeGeorge StrongColdstream GuardsSeptember 1855[13]Sevastopol, Crimea
Sullivan, JohnJohn SullivanNaval Brigade10 April 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Sylvester, WilliamWilliam SylvesterRoyal Welch Fusiliers8 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Symons, GeorgeGeorge SymonsRoyal Regiment of Artillery6 June 1855Inkerman, Crimea
Taylor, JohnJohn TaylorNaval Brigade18 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Teesdale, ChristopherChristopher TeesdaleRoyal Regiment of Artillery29 September 1855Kars, Turkey
Trewavas, JosephJoseph TrewavasHMS Beagle3 July 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea
Walker, MarkMark Walker30th Regiment of Foot5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Walters, GeorgeGeorge Walters49th Regiment of Foot5 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea
Wheatley, FrancisFrancis WheatleyRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)12 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea
Wilkinson, ThomasThomas WilkinsonRoyal Marine Artillery7 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea
Wooden, CharlesCharles Wooden17th Lancers26 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea
Wright, AlexanderAlexander Wright77th Regiment of Foot22 March 1855
19 April 1855[11]
Sevastopol, Crimea

References

General
Specific
  1. Ashcroft, Michael; preface; XIXIII
  2. "The Crimean War 18531856". Armed Conflicts Database. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
  3. 1 2 3 Ashcroft, Michael; Preface to Victoria Cross Heroes
  4. 1 2 The London Gazette: no. 21846. pp. 410–411. 1856-02-05. Retrieved 2008-01-12. The Gazette publishing the original Royal Warrant
  5. Ashcroft, Michael; pp.710
  6. The London Gazette: no. 27986. p. 325. 15 January 1907. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
  7. Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp.6890
  8. The London Gazette: no. 31946. p. 6702. 18 June 1920. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  9. The London Gazette: no. 21971. p. 658. 1857-02-24. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  10. The London Gazette: no. 21971. p. 662. 1857-02-24. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  11. 1 2 The London Gazette: no. 21971. p. 661. 1857-02-24. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  12. Peel was awarded the Victoria Cross for three separate actions.
    The London Gazette: no. 21971. pp. 651–652. 1857-02-24. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  13. The London Gazette: no. 21971. p. 657. 1857-02-24. Retrieved 2008-06-08.

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