John Prettyjohns John Prettyjohns VC ( sometimes misspelled Prettyjohn ) ( 11 June 1823 – 20 January 1887 ) was the first Royal Marine to win 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 . Early life . Prettyjohns was born at Dean Prior near to Buckfastleigh , Devon . His early years were spent labouring in Buckfastleigh . On 10 June 1844 he enlisted as a private , 59th Company , Plymouth Division , for unlimited service - and collected 2s 6d for attestation . On the following day , he collected a bounty of £3 17s 6d for oath of allegiance . He embarked on HMS " Melampus " to south - east USA and East Indies on the 22 March 1845 , being flogged for an unknown misdeameanour on 28 June . He disembarked at Chatham on 23 August 1849 , and joined HMS " Bellerophon " on 7 November 1850 . On this ship , he embarked for the Mediterranean in January 1852 , being promoted to corporal on 15 January . On 17 October 1854 , HMS " Bellerophon " bombarded Sevastopol during the Crimean campaign . Details . On 5 November 1854 , Corporal John Prettyjohns won the Victoria Cross during the Battle of Inkerman . CORPORAL JOHN PRETTYJOHNS , RM Reported for gallantry at the Battle of Inkerman , having placed himself in an advanced position ; and noticed , as having himself shot four Russians . - Despatch from Lieutenant Colonel Hopkins , Senior Officer of Marines , engaged at lnkerman London Gazette 24 February 1857 HMS " Agamemnon " , Crimea On 5th November 1854 at the Battle of Inkerman , Corporal Prettyjohn ' s platoon went to clear out some caves which were occupied by snipers . In doing so they used up almost all of their ammunition , and then noticed fresh parties of Russians creeping up the hill in single file . Corporal Prettyjohn gave instructions to his men to collect as many stones as possible which they could use instead of ammunition . When the first Russian appeared he was seized by the corporal and thrown down the slope . The others were greeted by a hail of stones and retreated . - letter from Colonel Wesley , Deputy Adjutant General On 16 January 1856 , he was promoted to sergeant and embarked on HMS " Sans Pareil " for Hong Kong on 12 March 1857 . He was promoted to Colour - Sergeant on 29 April , and on 26 June a VC was sent to the Admiralty and despatched to China for presentation . On 16 July , he sailed for Singapore and Calcutta on HMS " Shannon " , arriving in Fort William , Calcutta later that year . On 28 December he took part in the capture of Canton before embarking on HMS " Tribune " for Vancouver and San Juan Island . On 17 December 1863 his final tour of duty came to an end . He was discharged on 16 June 1865 after 21 years and 6 days service - 16 years 94 days of which were spent at sea or abroad . He retired to the Greater Manchester area , and became a Golf Club steward at Whalley Range Bowling Club , Albert Road , Withington , Lancashire . He died on 20 January 1887 at Chorlton upon Medlock , Lancashire and is buried in the Southern Cemetery , Manchester . The awards . Corporal Prettyjohns was awarded the Victoria Cross , British Crimea Medal with clasp for Balaclava , Inkerman and Sebastopol , the Turkish Crimea and Sardinian Crimea Medals , the China Medal ( 1857 ) with clasps for Canton , a Long Service & Good Conduct medal , and a Long Service and Good Conduct gratuity for gallantry in the Crimea . Family . On 10 February 1850 , John married his distant cousin , Elizabeth Prettyjohns ( 7 May 1826 – 19 August 1912 ) , at Plymouth Register Office . They had two children : Legacy . The Royal Marines hold a procession each autumn to honour the memory of Corporal Prettyjohns . The medal . His Victoria Cross and other medals is displayed at the Royal Marines Museum , Southsea , England .