John Bythesea
Encyclopedia
John Bythesea 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 aground at Pantellaria, resulting in his dismissal from his ship; he was never employed at sea again.
, 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 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
.
, Åland Islands
off Finland
with a Swedish-speaking crewman Stoker William Johnstone, in order 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."
On 4 March 1858 he took over as captain of the 17-gun screw-sloop (also spelled Cruiser) from Charles Fellowes
. At the time, the Cruizer was serving in the Far East and saw action in the 2nd Anglo-Chinese War
. Cruizer paid off at Portsmouth on 1 May 1861.
On 15 May 1861, he was promoted to Captain. In 1862, he served on the Commission to examine Canadian defences.
On 30 March 1863 he commissioned the 12-gun screw-corvette at Woolwich. Archer served on the West Africa Station. Bythesea was invalided out, and replaced by Captain Francis Marten on 12 April 1864.
From 1 April 1866 until 1867, he was carried on the books of the flagship of the North American Squadron, HMS Duncan, for special service as Naval Attache in Washington.
From 6 May 1867 until 29 November 1870 he was captain of the screw-frigate . Bythesea commanded her for the entire commission. She served first in the Channel squadron, then the West Indies, then joining the flying squadron at Bahia
on 4 August 1869.
The court-martial in April 1872 severely reprimanded Bythesea and the Navigating Officer, who were dismissed from their ship and neither of them were ever employed at sea again.
The Lord Clyde was never commissioned again.
He served as consulting naval officer to the Indian Government from 1874, until the Indian Navy was restructured in 1880. He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) and a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire
(CIE) in 1878.
He died at South Kensington on 18 May 1906.
, London.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(15 June 1827 – 18 May 1906) was an officer of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in 1854 during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. However, in 1872 he ruined his career when he put his battleship aground at Pantellaria, resulting in his dismissal from his ship; he was never employed at sea again.
Early life
John Bythesea was born on 15 June 1827 in FreshfordFreshford
Freshford is a village and civil parish in the Avon valley south-east of Bath, in the county of Somerset, England. The parish has a population of 530...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, the son of Rev. George Bythesea.
He entered the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1841, and was promoted to Lieutenant on 12 June 1849.
On 22 June 1850, he was posted to the 46-gun screw-frigate commanded by Captain Robert Spencer Robinson
Robert Spencer Robinson
Admiral Sir Robert Spencer Robinson KCB was a British naval officer, who served as two five-year terms as Controller of the Navy from February 1861 to February 1871, and was therefore responsible for the procurement of warships at a time when the Royal Navy was changing over from unarmoured wooden...
, 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
Hastings Yelverton
Admiral Sir Hastings Reginald Yelverton, GCB, born Hastings Reginald Henry , was a British naval officer of the 19th century...
on 24 October 1853. She served in the Baltic in 1854 in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
.
Action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross
On 9 August 1854 in the Baltic, Lieutenant Bythesea obtained permission to land on the island of VårdöVårdö
Vårdö is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. Vårdö is an inflatable raft. It is connected to mainland Åland only by the cable used by the ferry that is the only way to get to Vårdö unless you have a boat of your own. Unfortunately the cable tends to wear quickly and break...
, Åland Islands
Åland Islands
The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. They are situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and form an autonomous, demilitarised, monolingually Swedish-speaking region of Finland...
off Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
with a Swedish-speaking crewman Stoker William Johnstone, in order to intercept important despatches from the Czar which were being sent via Vårdö to Bomarsund
Bomarsund, Åland
The Battle of Bomarsund was fought by an Anglo-French task force against Russian defenses at Bomarsund during the Crimean War.-Background:Bomarsund is a 19th century fortress which had started to built in 1832 by Russia in Sund on the Åland Islands in the Baltic Sea...
. "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."
Career up to the Lord Clyde
On 12 March 1855, Lieutenant Bythesea was appointed captain of the paddle gun-vessel and served in the Flying Squadron in the Baltic. On 10 May 1856 he was promoted to Commander, and on 20 May, Lieutenant John Bousquet Field replaced him as captain of the Locust.On 4 March 1858 he took over as captain of the 17-gun screw-sloop (also spelled Cruiser) from Charles Fellowes
Charles Fellowes
Vice Admiral Charles Fellowes CB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Channel Fleet.-Naval career:Fellowes joined the Royal Navy in 1836...
. At the time, the Cruizer was serving in the Far East and saw action in the 2nd Anglo-Chinese War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
. Cruizer paid off at Portsmouth on 1 May 1861.
On 15 May 1861, he was promoted to Captain. In 1862, he served on the Commission to examine Canadian defences.
On 30 March 1863 he commissioned the 12-gun screw-corvette at Woolwich. Archer served on the West Africa Station. Bythesea was invalided out, and replaced by Captain Francis Marten on 12 April 1864.
From 1 April 1866 until 1867, he was carried on the books of the flagship of the North American Squadron, HMS Duncan, for special service as Naval Attache in Washington.
From 6 May 1867 until 29 November 1870 he was captain of the screw-frigate . Bythesea commanded her for the entire commission. She served first in the Channel squadron, then the West Indies, then joining the flying squadron at Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
on 4 August 1869.
Loss of HMS Lord Clyde
On 14 September 1871 he commissioned the battleship at Plymouth and took her out to the Mediterranean Fleet. In March 1872, Lord Clyde:- "was lying at Syracuse and received a wire from MaltaMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
to proceed at once to the help of a British steamer aground on the island of Pantellaria, on which service she got far worst aground herself. Anchors were laid out, coal jettisoned, guns, ammunition and stores hoisted over the side into small casters in the island hired on the spot, and everything possible done to lighten her, but she remained a fixture except to sway in the swell from the open sea, strain her back, and wrench off her sternpost, rudderpost and rudder. It took some time to summon help, as that was a full generation before the days of wireless telegraphy and Pantellaria had no cables; but an officer was dispatched by a passing steamer to Malta, where the was lying as flagship and came at once to pull her crippled sister off the floor and get her to bed. This proved an extremely difficult job even when she was afloat again, as she yawed about so violently without a rudder when in tow, as to pull the sister in charge all over the place. It took three days to conduct erring footsteps a distance that could ordinarily be covered in less than one, and all the while she was leaking at a steady rate of 2 feet per hour. On arrival at Malta she had to be docked with great care on account of the badly damaged state of her bottom; and the yard reported that it would take six months to repair."
The court-martial in April 1872 severely reprimanded Bythesea and the Navigating Officer, who were dismissed from their ship and neither of them were ever employed at sea again.
The Lord Clyde was never commissioned again.
Marriage and retirement
Bythesea married Fanny Prior in 1875, and was retired from the Navy on 5 August 1877. He received a retirement promotion to Rear Admiral. (There was no merit in such a promotion; it was automatic for captains on retirement.)He served as consulting naval officer to the Indian Government from 1874, until the Indian Navy was restructured in 1880. He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) and a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(CIE) in 1878.
He died at South Kensington on 18 May 1906.
The medal
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War MuseumImperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
, London.
External links
- John Bythesea at Find-A-Grave