Charles Lucas wins the first Victoria Cross at Bomarsund
- When
- 1854–1857
- Where
- HMS Hecla, off Bomarsund; Hyde Park, London
- Episodes
- 2
Royal Navy seaman's mate Charles Davis Lucas threw a live Russian shell overboard during the bombardment of Bomarsund in 1854. This act of gallantry led to his receipt of the first Victoria Cross, presented by Queen Victoria in 1857. The event occurred within the broader context of the Crimean War, where Anglo-French forces captured and destroyed the Russian fortress on Åland.
Episodes
- Lucas Throws Shell
Charles Davis Lucas threw a live Russian shell overboard before it exploded, an act of gallantry in 1854 recognized as the first Victoria Cross event.
- First VC Investiture
Queen Victoria personally presented the first Victoria Cross to Charles Davis Lucas in Hyde Park.
Background and detail
Background. The Battle of Bomarsund occurred in August 1854 during the Åland War, a part of the Crimean War. An Anglo-French expeditionary force besieged and destroyed a Russian fortress on the island of Bomarsund. The Victoria Cross was introduced in 1856 to honor acts of valour during this conflict, with awards backdated to 1854.
The Award. Queen Victoria issued a warrant in 1856 constituting the Victoria Cross. The first ceremony was held on 26 June 1857 in Hyde Park, London. Lucas was personally presented with the medal by Queen Victoria at this investiture, marking the first time such an award was given for an act during the Crimean War.
People involved
- Charles Davis Lucas · Royal Navy officer
- Queen Victoria · Monarch
Sources
- Charles Lucas (Royal Navy officer) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-17
- Battle of Bomarsund Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-21
- Victoria Cross Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-14
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.