Charles Davis Lucas
Encyclopedia
Charles Davis Lucas VC
(19 February 1834 - 7 August 1914) was an Irish
born officer of the Royal Navy
and the first 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 rose to the rank of rear-admiral
during his time in the navy.
, County Armagh
on 19 February 1834. He enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1848 at age 13, served aboard , and saw action in the Second Anglo-Burmese War
of 1852-53 aboard the frigate HMS Fox at Rangoon, Pegu, and Dalla. By age 20, he had become a mate.
During the Crimean War
, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for the following deed.
On 21 June 1854 in the Baltic, HMS Hecla, with two other ships, was bombarding Bomarsund
, a fort in the Åland Islands
off of Finland
. The fire was returned from the fort, and at the height of the action a live shell landed on Heclas upper deck, with its fuse still hissing. All hands were ordered to fling themselves flat on the deck, but Lucas with great presence of mind ran forward and hurled the shell into the sea, where it exploded with a tremendous roar before it hit the water. Thanks to Lucas's action no one was killed or seriously wounded and he was immediately promoted to Lieutenant by his commanding officer.
in 1862, and to captain in 1867, before retiring on 1 October 1873. He was later promoted to rear-admiral
on the retired list in 1885. During his career he received the India General Service Medal
with the bar
Pegu 1852, the Baltic Medal
1854–55, and the Royal Humane Society
Lifesaving Medal.
In 1879 he married Frances Russell Hall, daughter of Admiral William Hutcheon Hall
, who had been captain of Hecla in 1854. The couple had three daughters together. Lucas served for a time as Justice of the Peace
for both Kent
and Argyllshire, and died in Great Culverden
, Kent on 7 August 1914. He is buried at St. Lawrence Church, Mereworth
, Maidstone
, Kent.
in Greenwich
, London
. They are not the original medals, which were left on a train and never recovered. Replacement copies were made, though the reverse of the Victoria Cross copy is uninscribed.
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....
(19 February 1834 - 7 August 1914) was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
born 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...
and the first 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 rose to the rank of rear-admiral
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
Rear Admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to Commodore and is subordinate to Vice Admiral. It is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7....
during his time in the navy.
Details
Lucas was born in ScarvaScarva
Scarva is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is at the boundary with County Armagh, which is marked by the Newry Canal. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 320....
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
on 19 February 1834. He enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1848 at age 13, served aboard , and saw action in the Second Anglo-Burmese War
Second Anglo-Burmese War
The Second Anglo-Burmese War was the second of the three wars fought between the Burmese and the British Empire during the 19th century, with the outcome of the gradual extinction of Burmese sovereignty and independence....
of 1852-53 aboard the frigate HMS Fox at Rangoon, Pegu, and Dalla. By age 20, he had become a mate.
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...
, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for the following deed.
On 21 June 1854 in the Baltic, HMS Hecla, with two other ships, was bombarding 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...
, a fort in the 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 of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The fire was returned from the fort, and at the height of the action a live shell landed on Heclas upper deck, with its fuse still hissing. All hands were ordered to fling themselves flat on the deck, but Lucas with great presence of mind ran forward and hurled the shell into the sea, where it exploded with a tremendous roar before it hit the water. Thanks to Lucas's action no one was killed or seriously wounded and he was immediately promoted to Lieutenant by his commanding officer.
Further information
His act of bravery on HMS Hecla was the first to be rewarded with the Victoria Cross. His later career included service on , , , , and . He was promoted to commanderCommander (Royal Navy)
Commander is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. It is immediately junior to captain and immediately senior to the rank of lieutenant commander...
in 1862, and to captain in 1867, before retiring on 1 October 1873. He was later promoted to rear-admiral
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
Rear Admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to Commodore and is subordinate to Vice Admiral. It is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7....
on the retired list in 1885. During his career he received the India General Service Medal
India General Service Medal (1854)
The India General Service Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1854, for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies....
with the bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
Pegu 1852, the Baltic Medal
Baltic Medal
The Baltic Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1856, for issue to officers and men of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and Royal Sappers and Miners who served in Baltic Sea operations against Russia in the Baltic theatre of the Crimean War...
1854–55, and the Royal Humane Society
Royal Humane Society
The Royal Humane Society is a British charity which promotes lifesaving intervention. It was founded in England in 1774 as the Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned, for the purpose of rendering first aid in cases of near drowning....
Lifesaving Medal.
In 1879 he married Frances Russell Hall, daughter of Admiral William Hutcheon Hall
William Hutcheon Hall
Admiral Sir William Hutcheon Hall, KCB, FRS , was a British officer in the Royal Navy. He served in the First Anglo-Chinese War and Crimean War. In China, he commanded the iron steamship Nemesis of the East India Company....
, who had been captain of Hecla in 1854. The couple had three daughters together. Lucas served for a time as Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for both Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and Argyllshire, and died in Great Culverden
Great Culverden
Great Culverden is a house, built in 1830 by Jacob Jeddere Fisher, in Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England.About half a mile from the centre of Tunbridge Wells, in the Mount Ephraim area, lies a small 9½ acre wood, known as Great Culverden Park. The first big house built on the highest point in that...
, Kent on 7 August 1914. He is buried at St. Lawrence Church, Mereworth
Mereworth
Mereworth is a village near the town of Maidstone in Kent, England. The Wateringbury Stream flows through the village and powered a watermill, the site of which now lies within the grounds of Mereworth Castle.-History:...
, Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent.
The medal
Lucas's campaign medals, including his Victoria Cross, are displayed at the National Maritime MuseumNational Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They are not the original medals, which were left on a train and never recovered. Replacement copies were made, though the reverse of the Victoria Cross copy is uninscribed.