[ London Gazette, 24 February 1857 ]. Genitichi, Sea of Azov, 17th September 1855, Lieutenant George Fiott Day, Royal Navy.

"With great enterprise and gallantry, landed and successfully carried out a reconnaissance within the enemy's lines at Genitchi. This service was performed by Lieutenant Day with the view to ascertaining the practicability of reaching the enemy's gun-vessels, which lay within the Straits of Genitchi, close to the town. It was performed by Lieutenant Day alone on a dark but fine night, with the assistance of a pocket compass.

After traversing four or five miles of low, swampy ground, occasionally up to his knees in water, he at length advanced to within about 200 yards of the vessel. From the perfect silence on board it was his conviction that they were without crews, and when he returned it was with the full impression that the expedition was a feasible one. This opinion, however, he was induced to change on the following day in consequence of the increasing activity which was apparent in the direction of the enemy vessels, and therefore he determined on making a second visit to the spot.

On this occasion the night was squally, and the journey longer and more difficult than before. On reaching the spot and finding the enemy vessels manned, and their crews apparently on the alert, he decided the effort to surprise them was out of the question. Lieutenant Day was so long on shore that the seamen stationed to pick him up gave him up for lost and returned without him. Mr. Parker, however, came to look again and found Day lying exhausted on the shore and took him back to the ship where he eventually recovered from his exposure."