The Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 111 members of the British Armed Forces during the Crimean War (also known as the Russian War) that lasted from 1854 to 1856. The Victoria Cross is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. The VC was introduced in Great Britain on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War. It takes precedence over all other Orders, decorations and medals; it may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The first ceremony was held on 26 June 1857 where Queen Victoria invested 62 of the 111 Crimean recipients in Hyde Park.Ashcroft, Michael; preface; XI–XIII

In 1854, the Crimean War broke out between the Russian Empire and an alliance of France, Great Britain, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Ottoman Empire. One of the first battles of the War was the Battle of the Alma where allied forces convincingly defeated the Russian forces. The siege of Sevastapol followed shortly after in September 1854; it was to last for a year at the cost of over 128,000 lives, three-quarters of which died from disease. After the siege at Sevastapol, the fighting mainly ceased and on 30 March 1856, after two years of action, the Russians negotiated a Peace Treaty at the Congress of Paris. The Treaty set the Black Sea as neutral territory, closing it to all warships, and prohibiting fortifications and the presence of armaments on its shores. The Crimean War led to a number of large-scale changes in the British Army. The sale of commissions came under great scrutiny during the war, especially in connection with the Battle of Balaclava, which saw the ill-fated Charge of the Light Brigade. This scrutiny eventually led to the abolition of the sale of commissions.

The dispatches of William Howard Russell during the war highlighted how many acts of bravery and valour by British servicemen went unrewarded.Ashcroft, Michael; Preface to Victoria Cross Heroes There was a growing feeling amongst the public and in the Royal Court that a new award was needed to recognise incidents of gallantry that were unconnected with a man's lengthy or meritorious service. Queen Victoria issued a warrant under the Royal sign-manual on 29 January 1856 The Gazette publishing the original Royal Warrant (gazetted 5 February 1856) that officially constituted the VC. The order was backdated to 1854 to recognise acts of valour during the Crimean War.Ashcroft, Michael; pp.7–10 The first awards ceremony was held on 26 June 1857 where Queen Victoria invested 62 of the 111 Crimean recipients in a ceremony in Hyde Park.

Citations for the Crimean War, particularly those in the first gazette of 24 February 1857, listed multiple actions for about a third of the recipients. The format of each citation varied between recipients, some specify the actual date, some the name of the battle and others have both sets of information.

Until 1907, it was policy not to award the VC posthumously. Between 1857 and 1901, nine notices were published in the London Gazette for soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, medals were sent to the next of kin of the three mentioned for the Boer War and at the same time the first three official posthumous awards, again for the Boer War, were gazetted. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the remaining six officers and men. As a result of the change of policy, one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous but it was only in the general revision of the warrant issued in 1920 that a clause was inserted to explicitly allow posthumous awards.Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp. 68–90

Recipients

NameUnitDate of actionPlace of actionGrenadier Guards1855-09-022 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea09090th Regiment of Foot1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1855-06-077 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea05555th Regiment of Foot1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaRoyal Welch Fusiliers1854-09-2020 September 1854Alma, Crimea01717th Lancers1854-10-2525 October 1854Balaclava, CrimeaRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)1854-11-2020 November 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaJoseph BradshawRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)1855-04-2222 April 1855Woronzoff Road, Crimea1855-05-2929 May 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea1855-05-2929 May 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea06868th Regiment of Foot1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea1854-08-099 August 1854Åland, FinlandRoyal Regiment of Artillery1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea03434th Regiment of Foot1855-03-2929 March 1855Sevastopol, Crimea09797th Regiment of Foot1855-08-3030 August 1855Sevastopol, Crimea1855-10-1111 October 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea0033rd Regiment of Foot1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea04949th Regiment of Foot1854-10-2626 October 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaHMS Miranda1855-06-033 June 1855Taganrog, CrimeaScots Fusiliers Guards1855-09-066 September 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)1854-11-2020 November 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaNaval Brigade1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea1854-10-1818 October 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea1855-09-1717 September 1855Genitichi, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1854-10-1717 October 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1855-04-1717 April 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Marine Artillery1855-07-1313 July 1855Fort of Viborg, Finland01111th Hussars1854-10-2525 October 1854Balaclava, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea05555th Regiment of Foot1855-03-2929 March 1855Sevastopol, Crimea01818th Regiment of Foot1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea01919th Regiment of Foot1855-04-1313 April 1855Sevastopol, Crimea01717th Lancers1854-10-2525 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea05757th Regiment of Foot1855-03-2222 March 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaColdstream Guards1854-10-2828 October 1854Inkerman, CrimeaNaval Brigade1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea0044th Regiment of Foot1854-10-1818 October 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Scots Greys1854-10-2525 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea0077th Regiment of Foot1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea06868th Regiment of Foot1855-05-1111 May 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea1854-10-2626 October 1854Sevastopol, Crimea0077th Regiment of Foot1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea0077th Regiment of Foot1855-06-077 June 185518 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)1855-04-2222 April 1855Woronzoff Road, CrimeaHMS Arrogant1855-07-1313 July 1855Fort of Viborg, FinlandHMS Arrogant1854-08-099 August 1854Åland Islands, Finland0077th Regiment of Foot1855-06-077 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea1855-08-3131 August 1855Sea of Azov, CrimeaScots Fusiliers Guards1854-09-2020 September 1854Alma, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1855-02-1414 February 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1854-11-2020 November 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaScots Fusiliers Guards1854-09-2020 September 1854Alma, CrimeaInkerman, Crimea1854-06-2121 June 1854Åland Islands, Finland09797th Regiment of Foot1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea01919th Regiment of Foot1855-06-1010 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1855-04-1919 April 1855Sevastopol, Crimea04141st Regiment of Foot1854-10-2626 October 1854Inkerman, Crimea01313th Light Dragoons1854-10-2525 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea0033rd Regiment of Foot1855-09-055 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea05757th Regiment of Foot1855-06-2323 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea04747th Regiment of Foot1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)1855-04-22July 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaScots Fusilier Guards1854-09-2020 September 1854Alma, Crimea04444th Regiment of Foot1854-10-2020 October 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea0066th Dragoons1854-10-2626 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea09090th Regiment of Foot1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea0077th Regiment of Foot1854-12-1919 December 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Welch Fusiliers1854-09-2020 September 1854Alma, Crimea04949th Regiment of Foot1854-10-3030 October 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaGrenadier Guards1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea07777th Regiment of Foot1855-04-1919 April 1855Alma, CrimeaInkerman, Crimea0044th Light Dragoons1854-10-2525 October 1854Balaclava, CrimeaNaval Brigade1854-10-1818 October 1854Peel was awarded the Victoria Cross for three separate actions.5 November 185418 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaGrenadier Guards1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Marine Light Infantry1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea0011st Regiment of Foot1855-06-1616 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaNaval Brigade1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea0022nd Dragoons1854-10-2525 October 1854Balaclava, CrimeaNaval Brigade1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaScots Fusiliers Guards1854-09-2020 September 1854Alma, CrimeaHMS Weser1855-10-1111 October 1855Sea of Azov, CrimeaHMS Ardent1855-05-2929 May 1855Sea of Azov, CrimeaCorps of Royal Engineers1855-07-2121 July 1855Sevastopol, Crimea04141st Regiment of Foot1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaGrenadier Guards1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaNaval Brigade1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaNaval Brigade1855-07-1515 July 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Welch Fusiliers1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, Crimea03434th Regiment of Foot1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea01717th Regiment of Foot1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaColdstream Guards1854-10-2626 October 1854Inkerman, CrimeaColdstream Guards1855-09-00September 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaNaval Brigade1855-04-1010 April 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Welch Fusiliers1855-09-088 September 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1855-06-066 June 1855Inkerman, CrimeaNaval Brigade1855-06-1818 June 1855Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Regiment of Artillery1855-09-2229 September 1855Kars, TurkeyHMS Beagle1855-07-033 July 1855Sea of Azov, Crimea03030th Regiment of Foot1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, Crimea04949th Regiment of Foot1854-11-055 November 1854Inkerman, CrimeaRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)1854-10-1212 October 1854Sevastopol, CrimeaRoyal Marine Artillery1855-06-077 June 1855Sevastopol, Crimea01717th Lancers1854-10-2626 October 1854Balaclava, Crimea07777th Regiment of Foot1855-03-2222 March 185519 April 1855Sevastopol, Crimea

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