REAR ADMIRAL JOHN BYTHESEA VC, CB, CIE he exploits in 1854 that led to It may surprise many people Lieutenant John Bythesea RN, that there were Special Forces- Tbeing awarded the Victoria Cross were no less a Special Forces-style style operations as long ago operation than any of the daring as the Crimean War – most adventures of David Stirling and his SAS comrades during the Second will look upon that confl ict as World War or by Andy McNab and his the epitome of conventional team during the First Gulf War. Early in the Crimean War, the British warfare, characterised by the fl eet was stationed in the Baltic off the tragic and needless loss of life Russian-held island of Wardo, close to Finland. Captain Hastings Yelverton, resulting from the Charge of the from HMS Arrogant, one of the larger Light Brigade. In the second of ships in the area, paid an offi cial visit to Admiral Sir Charles Napier, the fl eet’s a new regular series examining commander. his “Hero of the Month”, Lord During their meeting, Napier gently reprimanded Yelverton for the fact Ashcroft reveals the remarkable that vital despatches from the Russian actions of Rear Admiral John Tsar were being constantly landed on Wardo and forwarded from there to Bythesea VC, CB, CIE. the Commanding Offi cer of the coastal fortress at Bomarsund. Napier’s gripe was that the British forces had taken no action to prevent this. Upon returning to his ship, Yelverton mentioned this state of affairs to his junior offi cers. One of them, Lieutenant Jon Enoch/eyevine ABOVE: A contemporary illustration depicting Lieutenant John Bythesea and Stoker William Johnstone seizing mail and despatches from fi ve Russian soldiers in order to intercept important messages, an action for which both were awarded the Victoria Cross. (© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans) RIGHT: John Bythesea VC. (Courtesy of the Victoria Cross Trust) Lord Ashcroft’s “Hero of the Month” Lord Ashcroft.indd 81 14/03/2013 11:29 LEFT: A portrait of Admiral Sir Charles Napier (6 March 1786– 6 November 1860) by Henry Valentin. Napier served for sixty years in the Royal Navy, and was an advocate of many naval reforms including the introduction of steam-driven ships and the use of iron in ship construction. He commanded the British squadron in the Baltic in 1854. RIGHT: HMS Duke of Wellington, Admiral Sir Charles Napier’s Flagship of the Baltic Fleet. At one time the most powerful warship afl oat, carrying 131 watched from a safe distance as the guns most of which were 32-pounders, she military escort, reassured that the road was converted to steam in 1852. ahead was clear, turned back leaving fi ve unarmed messengers to continue on their BELOW: The Steam frigate HMS Arrogant. expected their bravery to be offi cially recipients serving overseas received theirs (Courtesy of the National Maritime Museum) own. recognized; both modestly considered at a later date. John Bythesea, immediately determined Bythesea and Johnstone knew ABOVE: The fi rst investitures of the Victoria they had just been doing their duty. Bythesea went on to serve at Cross in Hyde Park. Bythesea was the second to do something to disrupt this fl ow instinctively that the moment had come However, at Queen Victoria’s behest, sea around the world, including the man to have his VC pinned on him by the of offi cial mail that British intelligence The farmer not only gave them food and to strike. Armed with just a single fl intlock the Victoria Cross was instituted on 19 operations in China from 1859-60. For Queen, who remained mounted on her sources had identifi ed. lodgings but also told them how the pistol, they ambushed the fi ve men. Two horse, Sunset, while conferring each award. January 1856, for extreme bravery in his fi nal seagoing command, he was Johnstone was serving overseas and had his Bythesea had been born in Bath, the Russians had improved a nine-mile stretch fl ed into the night, while the other three the face of the enemy. Furthermore, the appointed to the battleship HMS Lord VC sent out for presentation aboard his ship. youngest of fi ve sons of the Reverend of local road to make it easier and quicker were captured along with the despatches. awards were made retrospective to the Clyde. George Bythesea, the rector of Freshford, for messengers to convey the despatches Bythesea and Johnstone returned to beginning of the Crimean LEFT: The Victoria Cross (on the Somerset. He had broken with the family to Bomarsund. the hidden boat in which they had arrived left) awarded to Lieutenant John War. Bythesea. (Lord Ashcroft Collection) tradition of joining the Army and had However, the two men had not and forced the three men to row out to The fi rst VC to have instead entered the Royal Navy as a succeeded in getting ashore unnoticed. HMS Arrogant. Johnstone steered the been awarded (in BELOW LEFT: HMS Lord Clyde Volunteer First Class. After serving in Informants had told the Russians that a craft whilst Bythesea held the pistol and chronological terms) pictured in dry dock in Malta, the various ships and gaining promotion, small shore party from the British fl eet ordered their prisoners to row. damage caused by the accident in was the decoration to Charles March 1872 clearly visible. On arrival Bythesea was a lieutenant, aged 27, by was on the island and, as a result, search On their arrival at the warship, the Lucas, who as a young offi cer at Malta Lord Clyde had to be docked the outbreak of the Crimean War. parties had been sent out to capture prisoners were taken on board while the was serving as a mate in HMS with great care on account of the badly damaged state of her hull, and the yard Napier’s conversation with Yelverton them. Bythesea and Johnstone were able despatches were taken to Admiral Napier Hecla, for throwing a live about his desire to disrupt the Russian to avoid capture only because the farmer’s and General Baraguay d’Hilliers, the reported that it would take six months to shell overboard on 24 repair. (Courtesy of Frank Lea-Ellis) mail took place on 7 August 1854. daughter had given them old clothes in French commander. Napier was thrilled June 1854. However, the Bythesea applied his mind as to how it order to disguise themselves as Finnish by the actions of the two men, while next action for which the BELOW RIGHT: The British bombardment of the fortress at might be achieved and came up with an peasants. d’Hilliers’ admiration for them was said to VC was awarded (although ambitious plan to slip on to Wardo and On 12 August, having been on the be “unbounded”. Bomarsund (Aland Islands) during in fact they were the 22nd the Crimean War is shown here try to intercept the enemy mail as it was island for three days, Bythesea was told Bythesea’s reward for the daring and and 23rd to be offi cially in a drawing from 1854. Admiral being moved across the island. by the well-informed farmer that the successful mission was to be given the Napier can be seen in the foreground announced in The London carrying a telescope. Bythesea suggested that a foreign Russian mail boat had landed and the command of the three-gun steam vessel Gazette) were to Bythesea national, Stoker William Johnstone, despatches were to be sent down to the HMS Locust, which was present at the and Johnstone. Bythesea’s VC, who he discovered spoke Swedish, fortress at Bomarsund at nightfall, with a fall of Bomarsund, as well as at the great the result of a recommendation offi cer being court martialled with should accompany him on the mission. military escort to accompany them part of bombardment of Sveaborg in August from Napier and D’Hilliers, was instructions that neither was to be Yelverton’s initial response was that a the way. 1855. He was promoted to commander gazetted on 24 February 1857. However, in March 1872, HMS employed at sea again. For Bythesea, much larger force should accompany him That night, Bythesea and Johnstone on 10 May 1856. The fi rst investiture, intended for the Lord Clyde went to the aid of a paddle it was a sad end to a previously but – in true Special Forces fashion – it hid in the bushes along the route. They Neither Bythesea nor Johnstone fi rst ninety-three recipients of the medal, steamer that had run aground off Malta. distinguished and totally unblemished was eventually decided that a larger party took place in Hyde Park, London on 26 In doing so, Lord Clyde also ran aground naval career. was far more likely to attract unwanted June 1857. On that occasion, sixty-two and had to be towed off by her sister However, typical of the man, he attention. servicemen received their decorations ship, HMS Lord Warden. bounced back from his humiliation. In On 9 August, just two days after from the Queen, while the thirty-one This unfortunate episode led to 1874, the same year that he married aged Napier’s conversation with Yelverton, Bythesea and 47, he took up the post of Consulting Bythesea and Johnstone rowed ashore on his navigating Naval Offi cer to the Indian Government. their own, clearly with minimal planning relating to what lay ahead. Luck was on their side. They made their way to a local farmhouse, where the owner had been forced to hand over all his horses to the Russians and was therefore only too willing to help them.