George Ingouville
Encyclopedia
George Henry Ingouville VC
CGM
(7 October 1826 - 13 January 1869) was a 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.
George Ingouville was born at St. Saviour, Jersey. He was 28 years old, and a Captain of the Mast
in the Royal Navy
during the Crimean War
. On 13 July 1855 at the Fort of Viborg in the Gulf of Finland
, while the boats of HMS Arrogant
were engaged with the enemy, her second cutter was swamped by the blowing up of her magazine and drifted inshore under enemy guns. Captain of the Mast Ingouville, although wounded, jumped overboard, swam round to the boat's bows, took hold of the painter and tried to turn the cutter out to sea. A lieutenant of the Royal Marine Artillery (George Dare Dowell
) came to his assistance, when with three volunteers, he took off the crew from the cutter, rescued Ingouville from the water and then towed the stricken boat out of gun range.
.
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....
CGM
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was, until 1993, a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy at sea...
(7 October 1826 - 13 January 1869) was a 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.
George Ingouville was born at St. Saviour, Jersey. He was 28 years old, and a Captain of the Mast
Petty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
in 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...
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...
. On 13 July 1855 at the Fort of Viborg in the Gulf 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...
, while the boats of HMS Arrogant
HMS Arrogant (1848)
HMS Arrogant was a wood screw frigate of the Royal Navy, launched in 1848 and sold in 1867. During the period of 1848–1850 it was commanded by Robert FitzRoy. On 15 April 1854 the Arrogant was one of a number of Royal Navy ships that captured the Russian brig Patrioten. The Arrogant served...
were engaged with the enemy, her second cutter was swamped by the blowing up of her magazine and drifted inshore under enemy guns. Captain of the Mast Ingouville, although wounded, jumped overboard, swam round to the boat's bows, took hold of the painter and tried to turn the cutter out to sea. A lieutenant of the Royal Marine Artillery (George Dare Dowell
George Dare Dowell
George Dare Dowell 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.-Details:...
) came to his assistance, when with three volunteers, he took off the crew from the cutter, rescued Ingouville from the water and then towed the stricken boat out of gun range.
The medal
Ingouville's VC can be seen in the Maritime Museum on the New North Quay in St Helier, JerseyJersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
.