John Bythesea
| John Bythesea | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 15 June 1827 Freshford, Somerset |
| Died | 18 May 1906 (aged 78) South Kensington, London |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
|
| Years of service | 1841–1877 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands held |
HMS Locust (1855–56) HMS Cruizer (1858–61) HMS Archer (1863–64) HMS Phoebe (1867–70) HMS Lord Clyde (1871–72) |
| Battles/wars |
2nd Anglo-Chinese War Crimean War |
| Awards | VC CB CIE |
| Relations | Beth maulin |
John Bythesea /ˈbɪθsiː/VC CB CIE (15 June 1827 – 18 May 1906) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in 1854 during the Crimean War. However, in 1872 he ruined his career when he put his battleship HMS Lord Clyde aground at Pantellaria, resulting in his dismissal from his ship; he was never employed at sea again.
John Bythesea was born on 15 June 1827 in Freshford, Somerset, the son of Rev. George Bythesea.
He entered the Royal Navy in 1841, and was promoted to Lieutenant on 12 June 1849.
On 22 June 1850, he was posted to the 46-gun screw-frigate HMS Arrogant commanded by Captain Robert Spencer Robinson, Lisbon. He stayed with the Arrogant when she was recommissioned at Portsmouth by Captain Stephen Greville Fremantle on 27 September 1852. Fremantle was succeeded by Captain Hastings Yelverton on 24 October 1853. She served in the Baltic in 1854 in the Crimean War.
On 9 August 1854 in the Baltic, Lieutenant Bythesea obtained permission to land on the island of Vårdö, Åland Islands off Finland with a Swedish-speaking crewman Stoker William Johnstone, to intercept important despatches from the Czar which were being sent via Vårdö to Bomarsund. "They lay in wait for three days until five Russians arrived on 12 August with the postbags. Johnstone ambushed the men, at Bythesea's signal, attempting to throw a rope around the group whilst Bythesea provided cover with just one pistol. Two of the men dropped their bags and fled while the remaining three finally surrendered. Bythesea ordered the men back to their own boat and then forced them to row it back to Arrogant, with the mailbags."
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