FIRST INVESTITURE OF THE VC

Boatswain's Mate Henry Curtis VC - Royal Navy ( Naval Brigade )

The first investiture of the Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria took place in Hyde Park, London, on Friday, 26th June 1857. The 62 Crimean War veterans named below are listed in order of service and regimental precedence and in the order Queen Victoria pinned the cross on their uniform coats. The remaining VC winners not in attendance were presented with their award at the location of their current service.

A painting by George H Thomas ( 1824-1868 ) of Queen Victoria making the first presentation of the Victoria Cross in Hyde Park. And a watercolour believed to have been painted by Constanin Guys, who was employed by the "Illustrated London News" as a war artist during the Crimean War.

George H. Thomas
( select to enlarge )

Constantin Guys
( select to enlarge )

No.	Rank	FName	LName	Service

1.	Commander	Henry	RABY	Royal Navy
2.	Commander	John	BYTHESEA	Royal Navy
3.	Commander	Hugh	BURGOYNE	Royal Navy
4.	Lieutenant	Charles	LUCAS	Royal Navy
5.	Lieutenant	William	HEWETT	Royal Navy
6.	Gunner	John	ROBARTS	Royal Navy
7.	Boatswain	Joseph	KELLAWAY	Royal Navy
8.	Boatswain	Henry	COOPER	Royal Navy
9.	Seaman	Joseph	TREWAVAS	Royal Navy
10.	Seaman	Thomas	REEVES	Royal Navy
11.	Bosun's Mate	Henry	CURTIS	Royal Navy
12.	Capt of the Mast	George	INGOUVILLE	Royal Navy

13.	Lieutenant	George	DOWELL	Royal Marine Artillery
14.	Bombadier	Thomas	WILKINSON	Royal Marine Artillery

15.	Sergeant-Major	John	GRIEVE	2nd Dragoons
16.	Private	Samuel	PARKES	4th Dragoons
17.	Lieutenant	Alexander	DUNN	11th Hussars
18.	Troop-Sgt-Major	John	BERRYMAN	17th Lancers
19.	Colonel	Collingwood	DICKSON	Royal Artillery
20.	Captain	Andrew	HENRY	Royal Artillery
21.	Captain	Gronow	DAVIS	Royal Artillery
22.	Master-Gunner	Daniel	CAMBRIDGE	Royal Artillery
23.	Gunner	Thomas	ARTHUR	Royal Artillery
24.	Lieutenant	Gerald	GRAHAM	Royal Engineers
25.	Corporal	John	ROSS	Royal Engineers
26.	Corporal	William	LENDRIM	Royal Engineers
27.	Sapper	John	PERIE	Royal Engineers
28.	Colonel	Henry	PERCY	Grenadier Guards
29.	Brevet-Major	Charles	RUSSELL	Grenadier Guards
30.	Sergeant	Alfred	ABLETT	Grenadier Guards
31.	Private	Anthony	PALMER	Grenadier Guards
32.	Brevet-Major	Gerald	GOODLAKE	Coldstream Guards
33.	Brevet-Major	John	CONOLLY	Coldstream Guards
34.	Private	George	STRONG	Coldstream Guards
35.	Brevet-Major	Robert	LINDSAY	Scots Fusilier Guards
36.	Sergeant	James	MCKECHNIE	Scots Fusilier Guards
37.	Private	William	REYNOLDS	Scots Fusilier Guards
38.	Private	Thomas	GRADY	4th Reg ( King's Own Regiment )
39.	Lieutenant	William	HOPE	7th Reg ( Royal Fusiliers )
40.	Asst Surgeon	Thomas	HALE	7th Reg ( Royal Fusiliers )
41.	Private	Matthew	HUGHES	7th Reg ( Royal Fusiliers )
42.	Private	William	NORMAN	7th Reg ( Royal Fusiliers )
43.	Ensign	Andrew	MOYNIHAN	8th Reg ( King's Liverpool Regiment )
44.	Private	Samuel	EVANS	19th Reg ( Yorkshire Regiment )
45.	Private	John	LYONS	19th Reg ( Yorkshire Regiment )
46.	Lieutenant	Luke	O'CONNOR	23rd Reg ( Royal Welch Fusiliers )
47.	Corporal	Robert	SHIELDS	23rd Reg ( Royal Welch Fusiliers )
48.	Private	William	COFFEY	34th Reg ( Border Regiment )
49.	Private	John	SIMS	34th Reg ( Border Regiment )
50.	Sergeant	William	MCWHEENEY	44th Reg ( Essex Regiment )
51.	Sergeant	George	WALTERS	49th Reg ( Royal Berkshire Regiment )
52.	Corporal	James	OWENS	49th Reg ( Royal Berkshire Regiment )
53.	Brevet-Major	Charles	LUMLEY	97th Reg ( Queen's O R West Kent )
54.	Sergeant	John	COLEMAN	97th Reg ( Queen's O R West Kent )
55.	Brevet-Major	Henry	CLIFFORD	1st Bn. The Rifle Brigade
56.	Private	Joseph	BRADSHAW	2nd Bn. The Rifle Brigade
57.	Private	Francis	WHEATLEY	2nd Bn. The Rifle Brigade
58.	Captain	William	CUNINGHAME	2nd Bn. The Rifle Brigade
59.	Lieutenant	John	KNOX	2nd Bn. The Rifle Brigade
60.	Private	Roderick	MCGREGOR	2nd Bn. The Rifle Brigade
61.	Private	John	HUMPSTON	2nd Bn. The Rifle Brigade
62.	Brevet-Major	Claud	BOURCHIER	3rd Bn. The Rifle Brigade

Overseas Crimean War Investitures

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Iain Stewart, 6 August 2009