Joseph Kellaway
Encyclopedia
Joseph Kellaway VC
(1 September 1824 - 2 October 1880) 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.
third class in the Royal Navy
during the Crimean War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 31 August 1855 in the Sea of Azov
, Crimea
, Boatswain Kellaway of HMS Wrangler, with the mate and three seamen, was put ashore to burn some boats, fishing stations and haystacks on the opposite side of a small lake. They had nearly reached the spot when they were ambushed by 50 Russians. One man fell into their hands, but Mr. Kellaway and the two other seamen had escaped when the mate accidentally fell. Mr. Kellaway immediately returned to help him, but they were surrounded by the enemy and notwithstanding a gallant resistance by Mr. Kellaway they were taken prisoner.
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....
(1 September 1824 - 2 October 1880) was an English
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...
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.
Details
Kellaway was 30 years old, and a boatswainBoatswain
A boatswain , bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander, except on vessels with small crews...
third class 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...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 31 August 1855 in the Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov , known in Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea on the south of Eastern Europe. It is linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea to the south and is bounded on the north by Ukraine mainland, on the east by Russia, and on the west by the Ukraine's Crimean...
, Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, Boatswain Kellaway of HMS Wrangler, with the mate and three seamen, was put ashore to burn some boats, fishing stations and haystacks on the opposite side of a small lake. They had nearly reached the spot when they were ambushed by 50 Russians. One man fell into their hands, but Mr. Kellaway and the two other seamen had escaped when the mate accidentally fell. Mr. Kellaway immediately returned to help him, but they were surrounded by the enemy and notwithstanding a gallant resistance by Mr. Kellaway they were taken prisoner.