Charles Davis Lucas

Charles Davis Lucas
Bombardment of Bomarsund during the Crimean War
Born	19 February 1834 Druminargal House, Poyntzpass, County Armagh, Ireland
Died	7 August 1914 (aged 80) Great Culverden, Kent, England
Buried	St Lawrence's Church, Mereworth
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1848–1873
Rank	Rear-admiral
Unit	HMS Hecla
Commands held	HMS Vixen
Battles/wars	Crimean War Second Anglo-Burmese War
Awards	Victoria Cross Royal Humane Society Lifesaving Medal

Rear Admiral Charles Davis Lucas VC (19 February 1834 – 7 August 1914) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross. An officer of the Royal Navy, he performed the earliest actions to be recognised with the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He rose to the rank of rear admiral during his time in the navy.

Lucas was born in Druminargal House, Poyntzpass, County Armagh, on 19 February 1834. He enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1848 at age 13, served aboard HMS Vengeance, and saw action in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852–53 aboard the frigate Fox at Rangoon, Pegu, and Dalla. By age 20, he had become a mate.

During the Crimean War, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for the following deed:

On 21 June 1854 in the Baltic, HMS Hecla, with two other ships, was bombarding Bomarsund, a fort in the Åland Islands off Finland. The fire was returned from the fort, and at the height of the action a live shell landed on Hecla's upper deck, with its fuse still hissing. All hands were ordered to fling themselves flat on the deck, but Lucas with great presence of mind ran forward and hurled the shell into the sea, where it exploded with a tremendous roar before it hit the water. Thanks to Lucas's action no one on board was killed or seriously wounded by the shell, and accordingly he was immediately promoted to lieutenant by his commanding officer.

His act of bravery in Hecla was the first to be rewarded with the Victoria Cross. His later career included service on Calcutta, Powerful, Cressy, Edinburgh, Liffey and Indus. He was promoted to commander in 1862 and commanded the experimental armoured gunboat Vixen in 1867. He was promoted to captain in 1867, before retiring on 1 October 1873. He was later promoted to rear-admiral on the retired list in 1885. During his career he received the India General Service Medal with the bar Pegu 1852, the Baltic Medal 1854–55, and the Royal Humane Society Lifesaving Medal.