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

The Victoria Cross

Name	Unit	Date of action	Place of action
Ablett, AlfredAlfred Ablett	Grenadier Guards	2 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Alexander, JohnJohn Alexander	90th Regiment of Foot	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Arthur, ThomasThomas Arthur	Royal Regiment of Artillery	7 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Beach, ThomasThomas Beach	55th Regiment of Foot	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Bell, EdwardEdward Bell	Royal Welch Fusiliers	20 September 1854	Alma, Crimea
Berryman, JohnJohn Berryman	17th Lancers	25 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Bourchier, ClaudClaud 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
Buckley, CecilCecil Buckley	HMS Miranda	29 May 1855	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Burgoyne, HughHugh Burgoyne	HMS Swallow	29 May 1855	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Byrne, JohnJohn Byrne	68th Regiment of Foot	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Bythesea, JohnJohn Bythesea	HMS Arrogant	9 August 1854	Åland Islands, Finland
Cambridge, DanielDaniel Cambridge	Royal Regiment of Artillery	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Clifford, HenryHenry Clifford	Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Coffey, WilliamWilliam Coffey	34th Regiment of Foot	29 March 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Coleman, JohnJohn Coleman	97th Regiment of Foot	30 August 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Commerell, JohnJohn Commerell	HMS Weser	11 October 1855	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Connors, JohnJohn Connors	3rd Regiment of Foot	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Conolly, JohnJohn Conolly	49th Regiment of Foot	26 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Cooper, HenryHenry Cooper	HMS Miranda	3 June 1855	Taganrog, Crimea
Craig, JamesJames Craig	Scots Fusiliers Guards	6 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Cuninghame, WilliamWilliam Cuninghame	Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)	20 November 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Curtis, HenryHenry Curtis	Naval Brigade	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Daniel, EdwardEdward Daniel	HMS Diamond	18 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Davis, GronowGronow Davis	Royal Regiment of Artillery	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Day, GeorgeGeorge Day	HMS Recruit	17 September 1855	Genitichi, Crimea
Dickson, CollingwoodCollingwood Dickson	Royal Regiment of Artillery	17 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Dixon, MatthewMatthew Dixon	Royal Regiment of Artillery	17 April 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Dowell, GeorgeGeorge Dowell	Royal Marine Artillery	13 July 1855	Fort of Viborg, Finland
Dunn, AlexanderAlexander Dunn	11th Hussars	25 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Elphinstone, HowardHoward Elphinstone	Corps of Royal Engineers	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Elton, FrederickFrederick Elton	55th Regiment of Foot	29 March 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Esmonde, ThomasThomas Esmonde	18th Regiment of Foot	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Evans, SamuelSamuel Evans	19th Regiment of Foot	13 April 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Farrell, JohnJohn Farrell	17th Lancers	25 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Gardiner, GeorgeGeorge Gardiner	57th Regiment of Foot	22 March 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Goodlake, GeraldGerald Goodlake	Coldstream Guards	28 October 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Gorman, JamesJames Gorman	Naval Brigade	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Grady, ThomasThomas Grady	4th Regiment of Foot	18 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Graham, GeraldGerald Graham	Corps of Royal Engineers	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Grieve, JohnJohn Grieve	Royal Scots Greys	25 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Hale, ThomasThomas Hale	7th Regiment of Foot	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Hamilton, ThomasThomas Hamilton	68th Regiment of Foot	11 May 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Henry, AndrewAndrew Henry	Royal Regiment of Artillery	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Hewett, WilliamWilliam Hewett	HMS Beagle	26 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Hope, WilliamWilliam Hope	7th Regiment of Foot	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Hughes, MathewMathew Hughes	7th Regiment of Foot	7 June 1855 18 June 1855[9]	Sevastopol, Crimea
Humpston, RobertRobert Humpston	Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)	22 April 1855	Woronzoff Road, Crimea
Ingouville, GeorgeGeorge Ingouville	HMS Arrogant	13 July 1855	Fort of Viborg, Finland
Johnstone, WilliamWilliam Johnstone	HMS Arrogant	9 August 1854	Åland Islands, Finland
Jones, HenryHenry Jones	7th Regiment of Foot	7 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Kellaway, JosephJoseph Kellaway	HMS Wrangler	31 August 1855	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Knox, JohnJohn Knox	Scots Fusiliers Guards	20 September 1854	Alma, Crimea
Leitch, PeterPeter Leitch	Corps of Royal Engineers	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Lendrim, WilliamWilliam Lendrim	Corps of Royal Engineers	14 February 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Lennox, WilbrahamWilbraham Lennox	Corps of Royal Engineers	20 November 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Lindsay, RobertRobert Lindsay	Scots Fusiliers Guards	20 September 1854	Alma, Crimea
Lucas, CharlesCharles Lucas	HMS Hecla	21 June 1854	Åland Islands, Finland
Lumley, CharlesCharles Lumley	97th Regiment of Foot	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Lyons, JohnJohn Lyons	19th Regiment of Foot	10 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
MacDonald, HenryHenry MacDonald	Corps of Royal Engineers	19 April 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Madden, AmbroseAmbrose Madden	41st Regiment of Foot	26 October 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Malone, JosephJoseph Malone	13th Light Dragoons	25 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Maude, FrederickFrederick Maude	3rd Regiment of Foot	5 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
McCorrie, CharlesCharles McCorrie	57th Regiment of Foot	23 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
McDermond, JohnJohn McDermond	47th Regiment of Foot	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
McGregor, RoderickRoderick McGregor	Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)	July 1855[10]	Sevastopol, Crimea
McKechnie, JamesJames McKechnie	Scots Fusilier Guards	20 September 1854	Alma, Crimea
McWheeney, WilliamWilliam McWheeney	44th Regiment of Foot	20 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Miller, FrederickFrederick Miller	Royal Regiment of Artillery	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Mouat, JamesJames Mouat	6th Dragoons	26 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Moynihan, AndrewAndrew Moynihan	90th Regiment of Foot	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Norman, WilliamWilliam Norman	7th Regiment of Foot	19 December 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
O'Connor, LukeLuke O'Connor	Royal Welch Fusiliers	20 September 1854	Alma, Crimea
Owens, JamesJames Owens	49th Regiment of Foot	30 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Palmer, AnthonyAnthony Palmer	Grenadier Guards	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Park, JohnJohn Park	77th Regiment of Foot	19 April 1855[11]	Alma, Crimea Inkerman, Crimea
Parkes, SamuelSamuel Parkes	4th Light Dragoons	25 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Peel, WilliamWilliam Peel	Naval Brigade	18 October 1854[12] 5 November 1854 18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Percy, HenryHenry Percy	Grenadier Guards	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Perie, JohnJohn Perie	Corps of Royal Engineers	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Prettyjohns, JohnJohn Prettyjohns	Royal Marine Light Infantry	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Prosser, JosephJoseph Prosser	1st Regiment of Foot	16 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Raby, HenryHenry Raby	Naval Brigade	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Ramage, HenryHenry Ramage	2nd Dragoons	25 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Reeves, ThomasThomas Reeves	Naval Brigade	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Reynolds, WilliamWilliam Reynolds	Scots Fusiliers Guards	20 September 1854	Alma, Crimea
Rickard, WilliamWilliam Rickard	HMS Weser	11 October 1855	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Robarts, JohnJohn Robarts	HMS Ardent	29 May 1855	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Ross, JohnJohn Ross	Corps of Royal Engineers	21 July 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Rowlands, HughHugh Rowlands	41st Regiment of Foot	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Russell, CharlesCharles Russell	Grenadier Guards	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Scholefield, MarkMark Scholefield	Naval Brigade	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Sheppard, JohnJohn Sheppard	Naval Brigade	15 July 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Shields, RobertRobert Shields	Royal Welch Fusiliers	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Sims, JohnJohn Sims	34th Regiment of Foot	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Smith, PhilipPhilip Smith	17th Regiment of Foot	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Stanlake, WilliamWilliam Stanlake	Coldstream Guards	26 October 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Strong, GeorgeGeorge Strong	Coldstream Guards	September 1855[13]	Sevastopol, Crimea
Sullivan, JohnJohn Sullivan	Naval Brigade	10 April 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Sylvester, WilliamWilliam Sylvester	Royal Welch Fusiliers	8 September 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Symons, GeorgeGeorge Symons	Royal Regiment of Artillery	6 June 1855	Inkerman, Crimea
Taylor, JohnJohn Taylor	Naval Brigade	18 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Teesdale, ChristopherChristopher Teesdale	Royal Regiment of Artillery	29 September 1855	Kars, Turkey
Trewavas, JosephJoseph Trewavas	HMS Beagle	3 July 1855	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Walker, MarkMark Walker	30th Regiment of Foot	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Walters, GeorgeGeorge Walters	49th Regiment of Foot	5 November 1854	Inkerman, Crimea
Wheatley, FrancisFrancis Wheatley	Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)	12 October 1854	Sevastopol, Crimea
Wilkinson, ThomasThomas Wilkinson	Royal Marine Artillery	7 June 1855	Sevastopol, Crimea
Wooden, CharlesCharles Wooden	17th Lancers	26 October 1854	Balaclava, Crimea
Wright, AlexanderAlexander Wright	77th Regiment of Foot	22 March 1855 19 April 1855[11]	Sevastopol, Crimea

References

General

• "Victoria Cross Registers". National Archives (UK). Retrieved 2008-04-11.
• 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

1. Ashcroft, Michael; preface; XI–XIII
2. "The Crimean War 1853–1856". Armed Conflicts Database. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
3. Ashcroft, Michael; Preface to Victoria Cross Heroes
4. 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.7–10
6. The London Gazette: no. 27986. p. 325. 15 January 1907. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
7. Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp.68–90
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. 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.