Victoria Cross: 18 Jun 1855

WILLIAM PEEL

Captain, Royal Navy; commanding HMS Diamond, attached Naval Brigade

Born: 2 November 1824, London
Died: 27 April 1858, Cawnpore, India

Citation: Sir Stephen Lushington recommends this Officer:–
1st. For having on the 18th October, 1854, at the greatest possible risk, taken up a live shell, the fuze still burning, from among several powder cases, outside the magazine, and thrown it over the parapet (the shell bursting as it left his hands), thereby saving the magazines, and the lives of those immediately round it.
(Despatch from Sir S. Lushington, inclosed in letter from Admiral Lord Lyons, 10th May, 1856.)
2nd. On the 5th November, 1854, at the battle of Inkerman, for joining the Officers of the Grenadier Guards, and assisting in defending the colours of that Regiment, when hard pressed at the Sandbag Battery. (Sir S. Lushington is authorized to make this statement by the Lieutenant-General Commanding the Division, His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, who is ready to bear testimony to the fact.)
3rd. On the 18th June, 1855, for volunteering to lead the Ladder Party at the assault on the Redan, and carrying the first ladder until wounded.

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)



Note: Captain Peel (eventually Captain Sir William Peel VC KCB) was the son of English Prime Minister The Rt Hon Sir Robert Peel, Bt.


EDWARD ST JOHN DANIELS

Midshipman, Royal Navy; HMS Diamond, attached Naval Brigade

Born: 17 January 1837, Clifton, Bristol
Died: 20 May 1868, Hokitika, New Zealand

Citation: Sir Stephen Lushington recommends this officer:–1st. For answering a call for volunteers to bring in powder to the Battery [on 18 October 1854], from a waggon in a very exposed position under a destructive fire, a shot having disabled the horses. (This was reported by Captain Peel, commanding the Battery at the time.)
2nd. For accompanying Captain Peel [on 5 November 1854] at the Battle of Inkermann as Aide-de-camp.
3rd. For devotion to his leader, Captain Peel, on the 18th June, 1855, in tying a tourniquet on his arm on the glacis of the Redan, whilst exposed to a very heavy fire.
(Despatch from Sir S. Lushington inclosed in letter from Admiral Lord Lyons, 10th May, 1856.)

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)


Note: On 4 September 1861, after deserting whilst awaiting court martial for an unspecified offence, Daniels became the first man* to forfeit his VC. "Whereas it hath been reported unto us that EDWARD ST. JOHN DANIEL late a Lieutenant in Our Navy, upon whom we have conferred the decoration of the Victoria Cross, has been accused of a disgraceful offence, and having evaded enquiry by desertion from Our Service, his name has been removed from the list of officers of Our Navy ... Know ye therefore, that we are pleased to command and declare that the said Edward St. John Daniel shall no longer be entitled to have his name enrolled in the Registry of persons on whom we have conferred the said decoration, but shall be and he is hereby judged and declared to be henceforth removed and degraded from all and singular rights, privileges and advantages appertaining thereunto."


HENRY JAMES RABY

Commander (then Lieutenant), Royal Navy; Naval Brigade

Born: 26 September 1827, Boulogne, France
Died: 13 February 1907, Southsea, Hampshire


JOHN TAYLOR

Captain of the Forecastle, Royal Navy; Naval Brigade

Born: 1822, Bristol
Died: 25 February 1857, Woolwich, London


HENRY CURTIS

Boatswain's Mate, Royal Navy; Naval Brigade

Born: 21 December 1822, Romsey, Hampshire
Died: 23 November 1896, Portsmouth, Hampshire

Joint Citation: On the 18th June, 1855, immediately after the assault on Sebastopol, a soldier of the 57th Regiment, who had been shot through both legs, was observed sitting up, and calling for assistance. Climbing over the breastwork of the advanced sap, Commander Raby and the two seamen proceeded upwards of seventy yards across the open space towards the salient angle of the Redan, and in spite of the heavy fire which was still continuing, succeeded in carrying the wounded soldier to a place of safety, at the imminent risk of their own lives.
(Letter from Sir S. Lushington, 7th June, 1856.)

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)

Note: Commander Raby's was the first Victoria Cross presented, on 28 Jun 1857.


GERALD GRAHAM

Lieutenant, Royal Engineers

Born: 27 June 1831, Acton, London
Died: 17 December 1899, Acton, London

Citation: Determined gallantry at the head of a Ladder Party, at the assault of the Redan, on the 18th June, 1855.
Devoted heroism in sallying out of the trenches on numerous occasions, and bringing in wounded Officers and Men.

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)






JOHN PERIE

Sapper, Royal Engineers

Born: August 1829, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Died: 17 September 1874, Aberdeen, Scotland

Citation: Conspicuous valour in leading the Sailors with the ladders to the storming of the Redan, on the 18th June, 1855. He was invaluable on that day.
Devoted conduct in rescuing a wounded man from the open, although he himself had just previously been wounded by a bullet in the side.

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)






PHILIP SMITH

Corporal (later Lance-Serjeant), 17th Regiment

Born: 1825, Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland
Died: 16 January 1906, Harold's Cross, Dublin, Ireland

Citation: For repeatedly going out in the front of the advanced trenches against the Great Redan, on the 18th June, 1855, under a very heavy fire, after the column had retired from the assault, and bringing in wounded comrades.

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)







JOHN JOSEPH SIMS

Private, 34th Regiment

Born: February 1836, Bloomsbury, London
Died: 14 September 1881, Birmingham, Warwickshire

Citation: For having, on the 18th June, 1855, after the Regiment had retired into the trenches from the assault on the Redan, gone out into the open ground, under a heavy fire, in broad daylight, and brought in wounded soldiers outside the trenches.

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)







JOHN ALEXANDER

Private, 90th Regiment

Born: Mullijnger, West Meath, Ireland
Died: 24 September 1857, Lucknow, India

Citation: After the attack on the Redan, 18th June, 1855, went out of the trenches under a very heavy fire, and brought in several wounded men.
Also, when with a working party in the most advanced trench, on 6th September, 1855, went out in front of the trenches, under a very heavy fire, and assisted in bringing in Captain Buckley, Scots Fusilier Guards, lying dangerously wounded.

(London Gazette Issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.)




WILLIAM HOPE

Lieutenant, 7th Regiment

Born: 12 April 1834, Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: 17 December 1909, Chelsea, London

Citation: After the troops had retreated on the morning of the 18th June, 1855, Lieutenant W. Hope being informed by the late Serjeant-Major William Bacon, who was himself wounded, that Lieutenant and Adjutant Hobson was lying outside the trenches badly wounded, went out to look for him, and found him lying in the old agricultural ditch running towards the left flank of the Redan. He then returned, and got four men to bring him in. Finding, however, that Lieutenant Hobson could not be removed without a stretcher, he then ran back across the open to Egerton's Pit, where he procured one, and carried it to where Lieutenant Hobson was lying.
All this was done under a very heavy fire from the Russian batteries.

(London Gazette Issue 21997 dated 5 May 1857, published 5 May 1857.)


THOMAS ESMONDE

Captain, 18th Regiment

Born: 25 May 1829, Pembrokestown, County Wexford, Ireland
Died: 14 January 1873, Bruges, Belgium

Citation: For having, after being engaged in the attack on the Redan [at Sebastopol, on the 18th June, 1855], repeatedly assisted, at great personal risk under a heavy fire of shell and grape, in rescuing wounded men from exposed situations; and also, while in command of a covering party, two days later, for having rushed with the most prompt and daring gallantry to a spot where a fire-ball from the enemy had just been lodged, which he effectually extinguished, before it had betrayed the position of the working party under his protection,-thus saving it from a murderous fire of shell and grape, which was immediately opened upon the spot where the fire-ball had fallen.

(London Gazette Issue 22043 dated 25 Sep 1857, published 25 Sep 1857.)

Note: Captain Esmonde's great-nephew, Lieut Cmdr E Esmonde VC DSO, Fleet Air Arm, was awarded the Victoria Cross after being killed whilst attacking the German cruiser Prinz Eugen on 12 Feb 1942.


HOWARD CRAUFORD ELPHINSTONE

Captain, Royal Engineers

Born: 12 December 1829, Sunzel, Riga, Russia
Died: 8 March 1890, at sea

Citation: For fearless conduct, in having, on [18 June 1855] the night after the unsuccessful attack on the Redan [at Sebastopol], volunteered to command a party of volunteers, who proceeded to search for and bring back the scaling ladders left behind after the repulse; and while successfully performing this task, of rescuing trophies from the Russians, Captain Elphinstone conducted a persevering search, close to the enemy, for wounded men, twenty of whom he rescued and brought back to the Trenches.

(London Gazette issue 22149 dated 4 Jun 1858, published 4 Jun 1858.)



Note: Major General Sir Howard Elphinstone VC KCB CMG CB drowned after being swept overboard by a wave. Some online sources say that this happened in the Bay of Biscay, near Ushant; others say near Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.


PETER LEITCH

Colour Serjeant, Royal Engineers

Born: 1820, Orwell, Kinross, Scotland
Died: 6 December 1892, Fulham, London

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry in the assault on the Redan [at Sebastopol, on the 18th June, 1855], when, after approaching it with the leading ladders, he formed a caponnière across the ditch, as well as a ramp, by fearlessly tearing down gabions from the parapet, and placing and filling them until he was disabled from wounds.

(London Gazette issue 22149 dated 4 Jun 1858, published 4 Jun 1858.)

Notes: Caponnière. Gabion.



* Eight men have forfeited their awards of the VC due to misconduct. In addition to being the first, Daniel was also the only officer and the only member of the Royal Navy.