List of Victoria Cross recipients of the Royal Navy

The

British monarch during an investiture held at Buckingham Palace. It is the joint highest award for bravery in the United Kingdom with the George Cross, which is the equivalent honour for valour not "in the face of the enemy."^[1]

The VC has been awarded on 1356 occasions to 1353 individual recipients.

The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by

London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not "officially" awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six officers and men.^[3] The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to explicitly allow posthumous awards until 1920 but one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous.^[4]^[5]

Within this list, the date of action listed is the year in which the action took place for which the VC was awarded. The most naval Victoria Crosses awarded in a single conflict were for the First World War, followed by the Second World War and then the

Richard Bell-Davies of the Royal Naval Air Service

also received an award. Note: this list does not include naval awards of the VC to persons serving in navies other than the British, i.e. Lieut. R.H. ("Hammy") Gray, VC, DSC, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve.

Recipients

This along with the * indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously

Name	Vessel	Date of action	Conflict	Place of action	Notes
Thomas Hunter	43 Commando	1945*	Second World War	Comacchio, Italy
Eugene Esmonde	Fleet Air Arm No. 825 Squadron	1942*	Second World War	Straits of Dover , England
Israel Harding	HMS Alexandria	1882	Occupation of Egypt	Alexandria, Egypt
John Robarts	HMS Ardent	1855	Crimean War	Sea of Azov, Crimea
John Bythesea	HMS Arrogant	1854	Crimean War	Åland, Finland
George Ingouville	HMS Arrogant	1855	Crimean War	Fort of Viborg , Finland
William Johnstone	HMS Arrogant	1854	Crimean War	Åland, Finland
Norman Holbrook	HMS B11	1914	First World War	Dardanelles, Turkey
William Hewett	HMS Beagle	1854	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
Joseph Trewavas	HMS Beagle	1855	Crimean War	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Richard Sandford	HMS C3	1918	First World War	Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium
John Carless	HMS Caledon	1917*	First World War	Battle of Heligoland , Germany
Stephen Beattie	HMS Campbeltown	1942	Second World War	St. Nazaire , France
Robert Ryder	HMS Campbeltown	1942	Second World War	St. Nazaire , France
Jack Cornwell	HMS Chester	1916*	First World War	Battle of Jutland, Denmark
Augustus Agar	HM Coastal Motor Boat 4	1919	Baltic Campaign	Kronstadt, Russia
Claude Dobson	HM Coastal Motor Boat 31	1919	Baltic Campaign	Kronstadt, Russia
Gordon Steele	HM Coastal Motor Boat 88	1919	Baltic Campaign	Kronstadt, Russia
Edgar Cookson	HMS Comet	1915*	First World War	Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia
Alfred Sephton	HMS Coventry	1941*	Second World War	Crete, Mediterranean
Edward Daniel	HMS Diamond	1854	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea	^[6]
Ernest Pitcher	HMS Dunraven	1917	First World War	Bay of Biscay, Atlantic	^[7]
Charles Bonner	HMS Dunraven	1917	First World War	Bay of Biscay, Atlantic	^[8]
Edward Boyle	HMS E14	1915	First World War	Dardanelles , Turkey
Geoffrey White	HMS E14	1918*	First World War	Dardanelles, Turkey
Duncan Boyes	HMS Euryalus	1864	Bombardment of Shimonoseki	Shimonoseki, Japan
Thomas Pride	HMS Euryalus	1864	Bombardment of Shimonoseki	Shimonoseki, Japan
William Seeley	HMS Euryalus	1864	Bombardment of Shimonoseki	Shimonoseki, Japan	^[9]
Gordon Campbell	HMS Farnborough	1917	First World War	Atlantic Ocean
Jack Mantle	HMS Foylebank	1940*	Second World War	Portland, England	^[10]
Gerald Roope	HMS Glowworm	1940*	Second World War	West Ford , Norway	^[11]
Henry Ritchie	HMS Goliath	1914	First World War	Tanganyika
Bernard Warburton-Lee	HMS Hardy	1940*	Second World War	Narvik, Norway
Samuel Mitchell	HMS Harrier	1864	New Zealand Wars	Te Papa, New Zealand
William Maillard	HMS Hazard	1898	Occupation of Crete	Crete, Greece
Charles Lucas	HMS Hecla	1854	Crimean War	Åland, Finland
Arthur Wilson	HMS Hecla	1884	Mahdist War	Battles of El Teb, Sudan
George Bradford	HMS Iris II	1918*	First World War	Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium
Edward Fegen	HMS Jervis Bay	1940*	Second World War	Atlantic Ocean
Humphrey Firman	SS Julnar	1916*	First World War	Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia
Cecil Buckley	HMS Miranda	1855	Crimean War	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Henry Cooper	HMS Miranda	1855	Crimean War	Taganrog, Crimea
William Savage	HM Motor Gun Boat 314	1942*	Second World War	St. Nazaire , France
Edward Bingham	HMS Nestor	1916	First World War	Battle of Jutland, Denmark
William Odgers	HMS Niger	1860	New Zealand Wars	Omata, New Zealand
Robert Sherbrooke	HMS Onslow	1942	Second World War	North Cape, Norway
George Day	HMS Recruit	1855	Crimean War	Genitichi, Crimea
Wilfred Malleson	SS River Clyde	1915	First World War	Battle of Gallipoli , Turkey
Edward Unwin	SS River Clyde	1915	First World War	Battle of Gallipoli , Turkey
William Williams	SS River Clyde	1915*	First World War	Battle of Gallipoli , Turkey
William Hall	HMS Shannon/Naval Brigade	1857	Indian Rebellion of 1857	Siege of Lucknow, India
George Hinckley	HMS Sphinx	1862	Taiping Rebellion	Fung Wha , China
Loftus Jones	HMS Shark	1916*	First World War	Battle of Jutland, Denmark
Hugh Burgoyne	HMS Swallow	1855	Crimean War	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Thomas Gould	HMS Thrasher	1942	Second World War	Crete, Mediterranean
Peter Roberts	HMS Thrasher	1942	Second World War	Crete, Mediterranean
Anthony Miers	HMS Torbay	1942	Second World War	Corfu, Greece
John Linton	HMS Turbulent	1943*	Second World War	Mediterranean
Malcolm Wanklyn	HMS Upholder	1941*	Second World War	Sicily, Mediterranean
Eric Robinson	HMS Vengeance	1915	First World War	Battle of Gallipoli , Turkey
Alfred Carpenter	HMS Vindictive	1918	First World War	Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium
Victor Crutchley	HMS Vindictive	1918	First World War	Ostend, Belgium
Arthur Harrison	HMS Vindictive	1918*	First World War	Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium
Albert McKenzie	HMS Vindictive	1918	First World War	Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium
Frederick Peters	HMS Walney	1942	Second World War	Oran, Algeria
John Commerell	HMS Weser	1855	Crimean War	Sea of Azov, Crimea
William Rickard	HMS Weser	1855	Crimean War	Sea of Azov, Crimea
Joseph Kellaway	HMS Wrangler	1855	Crimean War	Sea of Azov, Crimea
James Magennis	HMS XE3	1945	Second World War	Johore Straits, Singapore
Basil Place	HMS X7	1943	Second World War	Kåfjord, Norway
Henry Curtis	Naval Brigade	1855	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
James Gorman	Naval Brigade	1854	Crimean War	Battle of Inkerman, Crimea
Basil Guy	Naval Brigade	1900	Boxer Rebellion	Tientsin, China
John Harrison	Naval Brigade	1857	Indian Rebellion of 1857	Siege of Lucknow, India
William Peel	Naval Brigade	1854	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
Henry Raby	Naval Brigade	1855	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
Thomas Reeves	Naval Brigade	1854	Crimean War	Battle of Inkerman, Crimea
Edward Robinson	Naval Brigade	1858	Indian Rebellion of 1857	Siege of Lucknow, India
Nowell Salmon	Naval Brigade	1857	Indian Rebellion of 1857	Siege of Lucknow, India
Mark Scholefield	Naval Brigade	1854	Crimean War	Battle of Inkerman, Crimea
John Sheppard	Naval Brigade	1855	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
John Sullivan	Naval Brigade	1855	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
John Taylor	Naval Brigade	1855	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
Thomas Young	Naval Brigade	1857	Indian Rebellion of 1857	Siege of Lucknow, India
Richard Bell-Davies	No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service	1915	First World War	Ferrijik Junction, Bulgaria
Reginald Warneford	No. 1 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service	1915	First World War	Ghent, Belgium
George Dowell	Royal Marine Artillery	1855	Crimean War	Fort of Viborg, Gulf of Finland
Norman Finch	Royal Marine Artillery	1918	First World War	Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium
Frederick Lumsden	Royal Marine Artillery	1917	First World War	Francilly, France
Thomas Wilkinson	Royal Marine Artillery	1855	Crimean War	Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea
Edward Bamford	Royal Marine Light Infantry	1918	First World War	Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium
Lewis Halliday	Royal Marine Light Infantry	1900	Boxer Rebellion	Peking , China
Francis Harvey	Royal Marine Light Infantry	1916*	First World War	Battle of Jutland, Denmark
Walter Parker	Royal Marine Light Infantry	1915	First World War	Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli , Turkey
John Prettyjohns	Royal Marine Light Infantry	1854	Crimean War	Battle of Inkerman, Crimea
Daniel Beak	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1918	First World War	Logeast Wood, France
Rowland Louis	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1918	First World War	Ostend, Belgium
Charles Cowley	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1916*	First World War	Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia
Percy Dean	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1918	First World War	Zeebrugge, Belgium
Geoffrey Drummond	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1918	First World War	Ostend, Belgium
Bernard Freyberg	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1916	First World War	Battle of the Ancre, France	^[12]
George Prowse	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1918	First World War	Pronville , France
Arthur Tisdall	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	1915	First World War	Battle of Gallipoli , Turkey
Harold Auten	Royal Naval Reserve	1918	First World War	English Channel, England
Charles Bonner	Royal Naval Reserve	1917	First World War	Bay of Biscay, Atlantic Ocean
Donald Cameron	Royal Naval Reserve	1943	Second World War	Kåfjord, Norway
Thomas Crisp	Royal Naval Reserve	1917*	First World War	North Sea
George Drewry	Royal Naval Reserve	1915	First World War	Battle of Gallipoli , Turkey
Ian Fraser	Royal Naval Reserve	1945	Second World War	Johore Straits, Singapore
Frederick Parslow	Royal Naval Reserve	1915*	First World War	Atlantic Ocean
George Samson	Royal Naval Reserve	1915	First World War	Battle of Gallipoli , Turkey
William Sanders	Royal Naval Reserve	1917*	First World War	Atlantic Ocean
Archibald Smith	Royal Naval Reserve	1917*	First World War	Atlantic Ocean
Richard Stannard	Royal Naval Reserve	1940	Second World War	Namsos, Norway
Ronald Stuart	Royal Naval Reserve	1917	First World War	Atlantic Ocean
Joseph Watt	Royal Naval Reserve	1917	First World War	Strait of Otranto, Italy
Thomas Wilkinson	Royal Naval Reserve	1942*	Second World War	Java Sea, Malaya
William Williams	Royal Naval Reserve	1917	First World War	Atlantic Ocean

Notes

^ "The world's most exclusive club". Ministry of Defence. 30 April 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
^ Davies, Catronia (28 December 2005). "Author explodes myth of the gunmetal VC". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
^ "No. 27986". The London Gazette. 15 January 1907. p. 325.
^ Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp.68–90
^ "No. 31946". The London Gazette. 18 June 1920. p. 6702.
^ VC forfeited for desertion in 1861. "Edward St John DANIEL VC". Michael Daniels pHd. 1 June 2001. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
^ VC awarded by ballot. Ashcroft, Michael, pp.224–227
^ VC awarded by ballot. Ashcroft, Michael, pp.224–227
^ First American recipient. Ricketts, Bruce. "American Victoria Cross recipients". Mysteries of Canada. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
^ Only naval VC awarded for action on British mainland. "Jack Mantle VC". victoriacross.org. 13 June 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
^ Only person to be nominated by enemy. "Foylebank". Heritage Coast. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
^ NZ recipient. Bashton, NS. "Royal Naval Division Personnel". royalnavaldivision.info. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

References

"Victoria Cross Registers". National Archives (UK). Retrieved 28 November 2007.
"Royal Navy Victoria Cross recipients". Mike Chapman. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2007.
"Royal Naval Division Personnel". RoyalNavalDivision.info. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
ISBN 0-7553-1632-0
.

[Modclub-1] "The world's most exclusive club". Ministry of Defence. 30 April 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.

[2] Davies, Catronia (28 December 2005). "Author explodes myth of the gunmetal VC". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 June 2007.

[3] "No. 27986". The London Gazette. 15 January 1907. p. 325.

[4] Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp.68–90

[5] "No. 31946". The London Gazette. 18 June 1920. p. 6702.

[6] VC forfeited for desertion in 1861. "Edward St John DANIEL VC". Michael Daniels pHd. 1 June 2001. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.

[7] VC awarded by ballot. Ashcroft, Michael, pp.224–227

[8] VC awarded by ballot. Ashcroft, Michael, pp.224–227

[9] First American recipient. Ricketts, Bruce. "American Victoria Cross recipients". Mysteries of Canada. Retrieved 10 March 2008.

[10] Only naval VC awarded for action on British mainland. "Jack Mantle VC". victoriacross.org. 13 June 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2008.

[11] Only person to be nominated by enemy. "Foylebank". Heritage Coast. Retrieved 7 March 2008.

[12] NZ recipient. Bashton, NS. "Royal Naval Division Personnel". royalnavaldivision.info. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

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