The Victoria Cross.
Awarded to
Boatswain’s Mate, Henry Curtis VC
- Royal Navy (Naval Brigade ).
Illustration: VICTORIA CROSS
Queen Victoria Awards The Victoria Cross
To Recipients In Hyde Park, London.
Artist: George Housman Thomas.
Date: 1857.
Royal Collection Trust.
Illustration: LONDON HISTORIANS’ BLOG
Queen Victoria Awards The Victoria Cross
To Recipients In Hyde Park, London.
Artist: George Housman Thomas.
Date: 1857.
Royal Collection Trust.
Illustration: LONDON HISTORIANS’ BLOG
London Historians' Blog
HERE
The Victoria Cross: A Grand Occasion
By: Mike Paterson.
Today, 26 June, marks the first public presentation in 1857 of the new Victoria Cross.
The carefully-planned and choreographed open-air event took place in Hyde Park, London, where sixty-two of the earliest recipients of the Medal assembled to receive their award.
The Queen — who, with Prince Albert, had been closely involved in every stage of the Victoria Cross’s (VC’s) introduction — insisted on pinning the VCs, personally, on the chests of her brave Servicemen.
Her Majesty was on horseback. Seemingly to the surprise of the organisers.
This may explain an unfortunate mishap when it is said Her Majesty had inadvertently pierced both the tunic and living flesh of Commander Henry Raby of the Royal Navy.
Of course, the courageous Sailor endured it manfully, no doubt through gritted teeth.
Commander Henry RABY.
Royal Navy.
Commander John BYTHESEA.
Royal Navy.
Commander Hugh BURGOYNE.
Royal Navy.
Lieutenant Charles LUCAS.
Royal Navy.
Lieutenant William HEWETT.
Royal Navy.
Gunner John ROBARTS.
Royal Navy.
Boatswain Joseph KELLAWAY.
Royal Navy.
Boatswain Henry COOPER.
Royal Navy.
Seaman Joseph TREWAVAS.
Royal Navy.
Seaman Thomas REEVES.
Royal Navy.
Bosun’s Mate Henry CURTIS.
Royal Navy.
Captain-of-the-Mast George INGOUVILLE.
Royal Navy.
Lieutenant George DOWELL.
Royal Marine Artillery.
Bombadier Thomas WILKINSON.
Royal Marine Artillery.
Sergeant-Major John GRIEVE.
2nd Dragoons.
Private Samuel PARKES.
4th Dragoons.
Lieutenant Alexander DUNN.
11th Hussars.
Troop-Sergeant-Major John BERRYMAN.
17th Lancers.
Colonel Collingwood DICKSON.
Royal Artillery.
Captain Andrew HENRY.
Royal Artillery.
Captain Gronow DAVIS.
Royal Artillery.
Master-Gunner Daniel CAMBRIDGE.
Royal Artillery.
Gunner Thomas ARTHUR.
Royal Artillery.
Lieutenant Gerald GRAHAM.
Royal Engineers.
Corporal John ROSS.
Royal Engineers.
Corporal William LENDRIM.
Royal Engineers.
Sapper John PERIE.
Royal Engineers.
Colonel Henry PERCY.
Grenadier Guards.
Brevet-Major Charles RUSSELL.
Grenadier Guards.
Sergeant Alfred ABLETT.
Grenadier Guards.
Private Anthony PALMER.
Grenadier Guards.
Brevet-Major Gerald GOODLAKE.
Coldstream Guards.
Brevet-Major John CONOLLY.
Coldstream Guards.
Private George STRONG.
Coldstream Guards.
Brevet-Major Robert LINDSAY.
Scots Fusilier Guards.
Sergeant James MCKECHNIE.
Scots Fusilier Guards.
Private William REYNOLDS.
Scots Fusilier Guards.
Private Thomas GRADY.
4th Regiment (King’s Own Regiment).
Lieutenant William HOPE.
7th Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).
Assistant Surgeon Thomas HALE.
7th Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).
Private Matthew HUGHES.
7th Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).
Private William NORMAN.
7th Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).
Ensign Andrew MOYNIHAN.
8th Regiment (King’s (Liverpool) Regiment).
Private Samuel EVANS.
19th Regiment (Yorkshire Regiment).
Private John LYONS.
19th Regiment (Yorkshire Regiment).
Lieutenant Luke O’CONNOR.
23rd Regiment (Royal Welch Fusiliers).
Corporal Robert SHIELDS.
23rd Regiment (Royal Welch Fusiliers).
Private William COFFEY.
34th Regiment (Border Regiment).
Private John SIMS.
34th Regiment (Border Regiment).
Sergeant William MCWHEENEY.
44th Regiment (Essex Regiment).
Sergeant George WALTERS.
49th Regiment (Royal Berkshire Regiment).
Corporal James OWENS.
49th Regiment (Royal Berkshire Regiment).
Brevet-Major Charles LUMLEY.
97th Regiment
(Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment).
Sergeant John COLEMAN.
97th Regiment
(Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment).
Brevet-Major Henry CLIFFORD.
1st Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
Private Joseph BRADSHAW.
2nd Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
Private Francis WHEATLEY.
2nd Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
Captain William CUNINGHAME.
2nd Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
Lieutenant John KNOX.
2nd Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
Private Roderick MCGREGOR.
2nd Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
Private John HUMPSTON.
2nd Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
Brevet-Major Claud BOURCHIER.
3rd Battalion The Rifle Brigade.
NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND THE INVESTITURE
OWING TO HAVING BEEN RECENTLY PUNISHED BY
HIS COMMANDING OFFICER FOR THEFT.
Private William STANLAKE.
Coldstream Guards.
All of the VCs awarded in this Ceremony were
for Actions in the recently-concluded Crimean War.
It was from this particular conflict that the
grim conditions Servicemen had to endure
in far-flung Wars came to be fully appreciated
by all sections of society.
This was largely thanks to the advent of the telegraph
and, for the first time, “embedded” News Reporters,
notably in this case William Howard Russell of The Times.
Unlike other European powers, Britain lacked
any Military Award open to All Ranks.
Questions were asked in Parliament,
to which The War Office was obliged to reply.
The Queen and her Consort, Prince Albert,
became involved very early on.
Prince Albert was virtually in daily
correspondence with Ministers, leading to the swift establishment of the eponymous Bronze Medal for Valour, Officially Warranted on 29 January 1856.
The London Jewellers, Hancocks, were commissioned
by the Minister for War Lord Panmure to produce the VC.
They have done so ever since.
The Queen described 26 June 1857 as being:
“A thick, heavy, morning. The heat was very great,
but I felt it less than I expected.”
She was accompanied by Albert, several of
her children, Lord Panmure, other Government
Ministers, plus sundry noteworthies.
And, of course, the recipients themselves,
some of whom were by now dressed in civilian clothing.
Including the public, the entire attendance
was estimated at around 100,000.
The whole event was enthusiastically accompanied by Military Bands and copious cheering from the audience.
This was an auspicious beginning for the Victoria Cross,
which has subsequently and rightly become a powerful component in this Nation’s Military Story.
The first Victoria Cross.
Quick-thinking Lieutenant Charles Lucas
of the Royal Navy, who attended the Ceremony,
throws an enemy bomb overboard.
21 June 1854.
Illustrated London News.
Illustration: LONDON HISTORIANS’ BLOG
The LONDON HISTORIANS' BLOG can be read
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