Rear-Admiral John Bythesea (; 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 became a member of the Bath and County Club in 1861.
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 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."
Bythesea was personally presented with the Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at the first VC investiture held at Hyde Park, London, on 26 June 1857.
Career up to 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,
On 4 March 1858, he took over as captain of the 17-gun screw-sloop (also spelled Cruiser) from Charles Fellowes. At the time, 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.
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, D.C.
Loss of HMS Lord Clyde
On 14 September 1871, he commissioned the battleship at Plymouth and took her out to the Mediterranean Fleet.
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. His turn for promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral came on 5 August 1877 but, because he did not have the requisite six years' sea time as a Captain, he was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Rear-Admiral.
He served as consulting naval officer to the Indian Government from 1874, until the Indian Navy was restructured in 1880.
The medal
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Location of grave and VC medal (Avon)
- Online biography John Bythesea
- Online history HMS Arrogant
- Online history HMS Locust
- Online history HMS Cruizer
- Online history HMS Archer
- Online history HMS Phoebe
- Online history HMS Lord Clyde
- British Embassy Helsinki – Bomarsund page
- Ballard, Admiral G.A. The Black Battlefleet, Nautical Publications Co. and Society for Nautical Research, 1980.