John Prettyjohns
Encyclopedia
John Prettyjohns VC
(sometimes misspelled Prettyjohn) (11 June 1823 – 20 January 1887) was the first Royal Marine
to win 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.
near to Buckfastleigh
, Devon
. His early years were spent labouring in Buckfastleigh. On 10 June 1844 he enlisted as a private, 59th Company, Plymouth Division, for unlimited service - and collected 2s 6d for attestation. On the following day, he collected a bounty of £3 17s 6d for oath of allegiance. He embarked on HMS Melampus to south-east USA and East Indies on the 22 March 1845, being flogged for an unknown misdeameanour on 28 June. He disembarked at Chatham on 23 August 1849, and joined HMS Bellerophon
on 7 November 1850. On this ship, he embarked for the Mediterranean in January 1852, being promoted to corporal on 15 January. On 17 October 1854, HMS Bellerophon bombarded Sevastopol
during the Crimean campaign.
.
CORPORAL JOHN PRETTYJOHNS, RM
- Despatch from Lieutenant Colonel Hopkins, Senior Officer of Marines, engaged at lnkerman
London Gazette 24 February 1857
HMS Agamemnon
, Crimea
- letter from Colonel Wesley, Deputy Adjutant General
On 16 January 1856, he was promoted to sergeant
and embarked on HMS Sans Pareil
for Hong Kong on 12 March 1857. He was promoted to Colour-Sergeant on 29 April, and on 26 June a VC was sent to the Admiralty and despatched to China for presentation. On 16 July, he sailed for Singapore and Calcutta on HMS Shannon
, arriving in Fort William, Calcutta later that year. On 28 December he took part in the capture of Canton before embarking on HMS Tribune for Vancouver and San Juan Island. On 17 December 1863 his final tour of duty came to an end. He was discharged on 16 June 1865 after 21 years and 6 days service - 16 years 94 days of which were spent at sea or abroad.
He retired to the Greater Manchester area, and became a Golf Club steward at Whalley Range Bowling Club, Albert Road, Withington, Lancashire. He died on 20 January 1887 at Chorlton upon Medlock, Lancashire
and is buried in the Southern Cemetery, Manchester.
, Southsea
, England
.
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....
(sometimes misspelled Prettyjohn) (11 June 1823 – 20 January 1887) was the first Royal Marine
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
to win 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.
Early life
Prettyjohns was born at Dean PriorDean Prior
Dean Prior is a village and civil parish near the A38 road, in the South Hams district, in the county of Devon, England. It is located near the town of Buckfastleigh. Dean Prior has a church called St George Martyr, Dean Prior, where the seventeenth-century poet Robert Herrick was twice vicar.-...
near to Buckfastleigh
Buckfastleigh
Buckfastleigh is a small market town and civil parish in Devon, England situated beside the Devon Expressway at the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. It is part of Teignbridge District and, for ecclesiastical purposes lies within the Totnes Deanery. It has a population of 3,661...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. His early years were spent labouring in Buckfastleigh. On 10 June 1844 he enlisted as a private, 59th Company, Plymouth Division, for unlimited service - and collected 2s 6d for attestation. On the following day, he collected a bounty of £3 17s 6d for oath of allegiance. He embarked on HMS Melampus to south-east USA and East Indies on the 22 March 1845, being flogged for an unknown misdeameanour on 28 June. He disembarked at Chatham on 23 August 1849, and joined HMS Bellerophon
HMS Waterloo (1818)
HMS Waterloo was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line, launched on 16 October 1818 at Portsmouth. She was designed by Henry Peake, and was the only ship built to her draught. She had originally been ordered as HMS Talavera, but was renamed on the stocks after the Battle of Waterloo.In 1824...
on 7 November 1850. On this ship, he embarked for the Mediterranean in January 1852, being promoted to corporal on 15 January. On 17 October 1854, HMS Bellerophon bombarded Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
during the Crimean campaign.
Details
On 5 November 1854, Corporal John Prettyjohns won the Victoria Cross during the Battle of InkermanBattle of Inkerman
The Battle of Inkerman was fought during the Crimean War on November 5, 1854 between the allied armies of Britain and France against the Imperial Russian Army. The battle broke the will of the Russian Army to defeat the allies in the field, and was followed by the Siege of Sevastopol...
.
CORPORAL JOHN PRETTYJOHNS, RM
Reported for gallantry at the Battle of Inkerman, having placed himself in an advanced position; and noticed, as having himself shot four Russians.
- Despatch from Lieutenant Colonel Hopkins, Senior Officer of Marines, engaged at lnkerman
London Gazette 24 February 1857
HMS Agamemnon
HMS Agamemnon (1852)
HMS Agamemnon was a Royal Navy 91-gun battleship ordered by the Admiralty in 1849 in response to the perceived threat from France by their possession of ships of the Napoléon class...
, Crimea
On 5th November 1854 at the Battle of Inkerman, Corporal Prettyjohn's platoon went to clear out some caves which were occupied by snipers. In doing so they used up almost all of their ammunition, and then noticed fresh parties of Russians creeping up the hill in single file. Corporal Prettyjohn gave instructions to his men to collect as many stones as possible which they could use instead of ammunition. When the first Russian appeared he was seized by the corporal and thrown down the slope. The others were greeted by a hail of stones and retreated.
- letter from Colonel Wesley, Deputy Adjutant General
On 16 January 1856, he was promoted to sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
and embarked on HMS Sans Pareil
HMS Sans Pareil (1851)
HMS Sans Pareil was a 70-gun screw propelled ship of the line of the Royal Navy.-Planning and construction:Sans Pareil was initially designed as an 80-gun second rate, to the lines of the earlier HMS Sans Pareil, a French prize captured in 1794. She was ordered on 27 February 1843 and laid down on...
for Hong Kong on 12 March 1857. He was promoted to Colour-Sergeant on 29 April, and on 26 June a VC was sent to the Admiralty and despatched to China for presentation. On 16 July, he sailed for Singapore and Calcutta on HMS Shannon
HMS Shannon (1855)
HMS Shannon was a Liffey-class steam frigate of the Royal Navy.She was originally ordered as a sail driven Leander-class frigate,. but was re-ordered as screw frigate on 4 April 1851. She was built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched on 24 November 1855...
, arriving in Fort William, Calcutta later that year. On 28 December he took part in the capture of Canton before embarking on HMS Tribune for Vancouver and San Juan Island. On 17 December 1863 his final tour of duty came to an end. He was discharged on 16 June 1865 after 21 years and 6 days service - 16 years 94 days of which were spent at sea or abroad.
He retired to the Greater Manchester area, and became a Golf Club steward at Whalley Range Bowling Club, Albert Road, Withington, Lancashire. He died on 20 January 1887 at Chorlton upon Medlock, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and is buried in the Southern Cemetery, Manchester.
The awards
Corporal Prettyjohns was awarded the Victoria Cross, British Crimea Medal with clasp for Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, the Turkish Crimea and Sardinian Crimea Medals, the China Medal (1857) with clasps for Canton, a Long Service & Good Conduct medal, and a Long Service and Good Conduct gratuity for gallantry in the Crimea.Family
On 10 February 1850, John married his distant cousin, Elizabeth Prettyjohns (7 May 1826 – 19 August 1912), at Plymouth Register Office. They had two children:- Elizabeth (Bessie) Prettyjohns (1857 – 13 July 1889)
- Alice Maud Prettyjohns (28 February 1865 – 4 July 1960)
Legacy
The Royal Marines hold a procession each autumn to honour the memory of Corporal Prettyjohns.The medal
His Victoria Cross and other medals is displayed at the Royal Marines MuseumRoyal Marines Museum
The Royal Marines Museum is located in Eastney , England, and is open to the public every day of the week throughout the year apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day...
, Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.