• Victoria Cross
• Companion, Order of the Bath ( CB )
• Companion, Order of the Indian Empire ( CIE )
• Baltic Medal ( 1854-55 )
• Second China War Medal ( 1857-60 )

Captain Yelverton paid an official visit to Sir Charles Napier and received a gentle rebuke concerning the fact that despatches from the Tsar were constantly being landed on the Island of Wardo and then forwarded to the Commanding Officer at Bomarsund, whilst no action was being taken to prevent this. Lieutenant Bythesea was determined to carry out Sir Charles' wishes and chose to accompany him Stoker William Johnstone, a foreign national who spoke Swedish.

On the 9th August 1854, Bythesea and Johnstone rowed ashore to a small bay and made their way to a local farmhouse, whose owner had lost all his horses to the Russians, and was therefore eager to assist. He provided food and lodging for them in the farmhouse, and told how the Russians had recently improved a nine mile stretch of the local road to facilitate the messengers carrying the despatches to Bomarsund. Meanwhile the Russians had learnt of the arrival of a shore party from the British Fleet and sent out search parties throughout the neighbourhood. Bythesea and Johnstone only avoided capture through the help of their host's daughters who disguised them by dressing them up as Finnish peasants.

On 12th August Bythesea learned from the farmer that the Russian Mail boat had landed, and that the despatches would be sent down to the fortress at Bomarsund at nightfall with a Military escort to accompany them part of the way. As soon as the escort had turned back, Lieutenant Bythesea and Johnstone ambushed the five couriers, armed only with a single flint pistol. Two of the five couriers fled, but the other three, together with the despatches, were captured, and ordered back to the boat in which they had recently arrived. The prisoners were then forced to row back to HMS 'Arrogant' with Johnstone steering, whilst Bythesea covered them with the pistol.

The prisoners were then put on board the 'Arrogant' whilst the despatches were taken to Sir Charles Napier and General Baraguay d'Hilliers, whose admiration was unbounded. As a result of this daring exploit, Lieutenant Bythesea and Stoker Johnstone were both awarded the Victoria Cross.

[ London Gazette, 24 February 1857 ], Wardo Island, Baltic Sea, 12th August 1854, Lieutenant John Bythesea, Royal Navy ( and Stoker William Johnstone, Royal Navy ) of HMS 'Arrogant'. ( Gazetted as Commander John Bythesea, Royal Navy ).

On the 9th August 1854, having ascertained that an Aide-de-Camp of the Emperor of Russia had landed on the Island of Wardo, in charge of mail and despatches for the Russian General, Commander Bythesea obtained permission for himself and William Johnstone, a stoker, to proceed on shore with the view to intercept them.

Being disguised and well armed, they concealed themselves till the night of the 12th, when the mail-bags were landed, close to the spot where they lay secreted in the bushes. The mails were accompanied by a military escort, which passed close to them, and which, as soon as it was ascertained that the road was clear, took its departure.

Availing themselves of this opportunity, Commodore Bythesea and the stoker, attacked the five men in charge of the mail, took three of them prisoners, and brought them in their own boat on board the “Arrogant”. The despatches were carried to General Baraguay d’Hilliers, who expressed himself in the highest terms of approval.

( Despatch from Captain Yelverton, enclosed in a letter from Vice-Admiral Sir C Napier, of 31st January 1856 )

John Bythesea was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria in Hyde Park on 26th June 1857.

The background of Stoker William Johnstone is subject to some debate. Although he was gazetted thus, there was no one on the 'Arrogant's' muster list of this name. There was a Leading Stoker John Johnstone, who was born in Hannover, Germany, on the ship at the time, and this is the man usually credited with winning the Victoria Cross.

However, it is doubtful that he would also have spoken Swedish. It is possible therefore, that Lieutenant Bythesea's companion was one of the foreign nationals whom Sir Charles Napier had recruited in Stockholm on the way to the Baltic, to solve the problem of an under-strength crew, and that Johnstone was an anglicised version of Johanssen. ( Source: Spink Sale Catalogue ).

William Johnstone ( Johanssen? ) did not attend the first investiture of the Victoria Cross in Hyde Park on 26th June 1857, and most unusually, his VC was sent to him by registered post, whereas all the other recipients who were overseas at the time of the first investiture had their VCs presented to them personally by their Comander-in-Chief.

Medal entitlement of Stoker William Johnstone - Royal Navy ( HMS 'Arrogant' )

• Victoria Cross
• Baltic Medal ( 1854-55 )