John Bythesea 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 . Early life . 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 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 . 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 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 . " 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 . 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 . 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 " : 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 ( CIE ) in 1878 . He died at South Kensington on 18 May 1906 and was buried at Bath Abbey Cemetery , Somerset . The medal . His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum , London .