The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-26 00:00:00

THE VICTORIA CROSS.

WAR-OFFICE, FEB. 24.
The Queen has been gracion,ly pleased to signify her
intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross
on the undermentioned officers and men of her Majesty's
Navy and Marines, and officers, nor:-commissioned offi-
cers, and men of her Majesty's Army who have been
recommended to her Majesty for that decoration—in ac-
oordanee with the rules laid down in her Majesty's
Warrant of the 29th of January, 1856—0❑ account of
acts of bravery performed by them before the enemy
during the late war, viz.:--
ROYAL NAVY (INCLUDING THE NAVAL BRI-

GAM: EMPLOYED ON SHORE) AND—ROYAL
MARINES.
CECIL WILLIAM BUCKLEY, Commander.—Lord Lyons re-
ports that—" Whilst serving as junior lieutenant of the
Miranda, this officer landed in presence of a superior
force, and set fire to the Russian stores at Genitchi;" and
" ho also performed a similar desperate service at Tagan•
Tog." The first service referred to occurred after shelling
of the town of Genitchi, on the 29th May, 1855. After
mentioning that the stores were in a very favourable po-
sition for supplying the Russian army, and that therefore
their destruction was of the utmost importance, Captain
Lyons writes: " Lieut. C. W. Buckley, Lieut. Hugh T.
Burgoyne, and Mr. John Roberts, gunner, volunteered to
land alone and fire the stores, which offer I accepted, know-
ing the imminent risk there would be in landing a party
in presence of such a superior force, and out of gunshot of
the ships. This very dangerous service they most gal-
lantly performed, narrowly escaping the Cossacks, who
all but cut them off from their boat." (Despatch from
Admiral Lord Lyons, 2d June, 1855, No. 419.) The
second volunteer service was performed while the town
of Taganrog was being bombarded by the boats of the
fleet, and is thus recorded by Captain Lyons :—" Lieut.
Cecil Buckley, in a four-oared gig, accompanied by Mr.
Henry Cooper, boatswain, and manned by volunteers, re-
peatedly landed and fired the different stores and Govern-
m,nt buildings. This dangerous, not to say desperate,
service (carried out in a town containing upwards of
3,000 troops, constantly endeavoui jug to prevent it, and
only checked by the fire of the boats' guns), was most
'effectually performed." (Despatch from Admiral Lord

Lyons,_ 6th June, 1855, No. 429.)
JOHN TALBOT BURGOYNE, Commander.—Lord Lyons
writes:—" As senior lieutenant of the Swallow this offi-
cer landed with Lieut. Buckley, and Mr. J. Roberts,
gunner, in presence of a superior force, and set fire to the
stores at Geuitchi, a service of imminentrisk." (Despatch
from Ailtuirsl Lord Lyons, 2d June,lBss, No. 419.) N. B.
This service has been previously described in the preced-
ing notice of Lieut. Buckley's services.
JOHN ROBERTS, Gunner.—This warrant officer landed with
Liouts. Buckley and Burgoyne at Genitchi, in presence
of a superior force, and set fire to the stores, a service
of imminent risk. (Despatches from Admiral Lord
Lyons, 2,1 June, 1855, No. 419.)
HENRY CO -.PER, Boatswain.—Perfortned the desperate
serisice of landing at Taganrog, in presence of a large
force, to set fire to the Government stores. See pre-
ceding memoir of Commander Buckley. (Admiral Lord
Lyons' despatch, 6th June, 1855, No. 429).
JOSEPH TRFWAVAS, Seaman.--" Particularly mentioned
as having cut the hawsers of the floating bridge in the
Straits of Genitchi, under a heavy fire of musketry, on
which occasion be was wounded." This service was per-
formed by the crews of the captain's gig, and of one of
the paddle-box boats of the Beagle, un ter a heavy fire
of musketry at about a distance of 80 yards; the beach
being completely lined with troops and the adjacent
houses filled with riflemen. Joseph Tiewavas is espe-
cially mentioned in the despatches as having been the
person who cut the hawser. (Despatch from Admiral
Lord I..yons of the 10th July, 1855, No. 516.)
JOSEPH KELLAWAY, Boatswain.—" Whilst boatswain of
the Wrangler, in the Sea of Azoff, was taken prisoner
after a stout resistance, whilst endeavouring to rescue
Mr. Odevaine, mate." This gallant service was per-
formed on shore near Marionpol. A detachment,
cenAisting of Mr. Odevaine, mate ; Mr. Kellaway, boat-
swain, and three seamen, bad been despatched from the
Wrangler to endeavour to burn some boats, fishing sta-
tions, and haystacks, on the opposite side of a small lake.
They bad nearly reached the spot, when they were fired
upon by e, party of 50 Russian soldiers, who suddenly
rushed from their ambush, and endeavoured to cut off
their retreat. One man fell into the enemy's hands, but
Mr. Kellaway and the two other seamen had contrived
to make good their escape, when Mr. Odevaine acci-
dentally fa. Kellaway, apparently imagining him to
b 3 wounded, without a moment's hesitation returned to
his rescue, risking his own life to succour his command-
ing officer. Unfortunately, while lifting up Mr. Odevaine,
they were surrounded by the enemy, and, notwithstand-
ing a gallant but hopeless resistance by Mr. Kellaway,
they were both made prisoners. Commander Burgoyne,
who has furnished these particulars, observes, " I was
myself au observer of the zeal, gallantry, and self-devo-
tion that cha-acten ised Mr. Kellaway's conduct."—(De-
si atches from Admiral Lord Lyons, of the Bth Sept., 1855,
No. 746 ; and of 22d Sept., 185:5, No. 796.)
GEORGE FIOTT DAY, Commander.—With great enterprise
and gallantry, landed, and successfully carried out a re-
connaissance, within the enemy's lines at Genitchi. This
service was performed by Commander Day, with the
view of ascertaining the practicability of reaching the
enemy's gun-vessels, which lay within the Straits of
Genitchi, close to the town. It was performed by Com-
mander Day alone on a dark but fine night, with the
assistance of a pocket-compass. After traversing four or
five miles of low swampy ground, occasionally up to his
knees in water, ho at length advanced to within about 200
yards of the vessels. From the perfect silence on board
them it was his conviction that they were without
crows, and when he returned it was with the fall im-
pression that the expedition was a feasible one. This
opinion, however, he was induced to change on the fol-
lowing day, in consequence of the increasing activity
which was apparent in the direction of the vessels, and
therefore he determined on making a second visit o the
spot. On this occasion the night was a squally one, and
the journey longer and more difficult than before. On
reaching the spot, finding the vessels manned, and their
crews apparently on the alert, he decided that any at-
tempt to surprise them was out of the question. (De-
spatch from Admiral Lord Lyons, October 9, 1855, No.
841.) N.B.—lt was while attempting a rec umaissaece
on the same groun t that Captain l'Allemand, of the
French steam-vessel Mouette, lost his life.
JOHN EDMUND CoatatEnELt, Commander.—" When
commanding the Weser, in the Sea of Azoff, crossed the
Isthmus of Arabat, and destroyed large quantities of
forage on the Crimean shore of the Sivash." This enter-
prise was performed by Commander Commerell, at night,
accompanied by William Rickard, Quartermaster, and
George Milestone, A.B. Having hauled their small boat
across the Spit of Arabat they traversed the Sivash to
the Crimean shore of the Putrid Sea. The magazine of
corn, of which they were in search, lay about two mites
and a-half off, and to reach it they had to ford two
rivers, the Kara-su and the Salghir. The forage and
corn, amounting to 400 tons, were stacked on the banks
of the latter river, in the vicinity of a guard-house, and
close to from 20 to 3) mounted Cos asks, who were en-
camped in the neighbouring village. Commander Com-
merell end his two companions contrived to ignite the
stacks, the rapid blazing of which alarmed the guard,
who pursued them to the shore with a heavy fire of
musketry, and very nearly succeeded iu taking them
prisoners. (Despatch from Admiral Lord Lyons, 6th
Nov., 1855, No. 899.)
WILLIAM RICKARD, Quartermaster.—"
Accompanied his
commander, Lieut. Commerell, of the Weser, to the
Crimean shore of the Sivash, an), whilst under a heavy
fire of musketry, remained to assist George Milestone,
who had fallen." (Despatch from Admiral Lord Lyons,
6th Nov. 1855 No. 899.) The service performed by
Wm. Rickard is thus described by Commander Comme-
rell in his despatch :—" I must bring to your notice the
excellent conduct of the small party who accompanied
me, more especially that of Wm. Rickard, quartermas-
ter, who, though much fatigued himself, remained to
assist the other seaman, who, from exhaustion, had fallen
in the mud, and was unable to extricate himself, not-
withstanding the enemy were keeping up a heavy fire on
us at the distance of 30 or 40 yards, as we crossed the
mud,"