"I proceeded to disarm the sepoys stationed at Dacca. We marched down to the Lall Bagh and on entering the lines found the sepoys drawn up by their magazine with two 8-pounders in the centre. Immediately after we deployed into line they opened fire on us from front and left flank with canister and musketry. We gave them one volley, and then charged with the bayonet up hill and carried the whole of the barracks on the top of it, breaking the doors with our musket-butts and bayoneting the sepoys inside. As soon as this was done, we charged down hill, and taking them in flank, carried both their guns and all the buildings, driving them into the jungle. Everyone, both officers and men, behaved most gallantly, charging repeatedly in the face of most heavy fire without the slightest hesitation for a moment. I beg particularly to bring to notice the conduct of Mr. Midshipman Arthur Mayo, who led the last charge on their guns most gallantly, being nearly 20 yards in front of the men."

A Despatch dated 4th December 1857, from the Secretary to the Government of India to the Senior Officer of the Indian Navy, states that the Governor General in Council ...... "desires me to request that you will convey to Lieutenant Lewis, and to the officers and men under his command, the thanks of the Government of India for the gallant manner in which they performed their duty. His Lordship in Council notices, with approbation, the conduct of Mr. Midshipman Mayo in leading a charge against the enemy's guns." For these services Mr. Mayo was awarded the Victoria Cross, which he won when he was just seventeen and a half years of age. [ London Gazette 25th February 1862 ]

Arthur Mayo continued to serve with the 4th Indian Naval Brigade until 1860 but was invalided home that year. He matriculated at Magdalen Hall ( now Hertford College ) Oxford in May 1862 and graduated BA on 18th June 1865. He married Ellen Baker at Oxford in July 1865, who gave birth to four sons and two daughters. The following year Mayo was ordained Deacon at Salisbury for the Bishop of Exeter and served as assistant curate in Plymouth for about 20 months. On the 5th November 1867 Arthur Mayo was received into the Catholic Church and thereafter lived in Torquay and Malta.

In 1901 he retired to live with his youngest daughter Margaret in Rosebury Road, Bournemouth, where he became an active member of Corpus Christi Church. He died at his home on the 18th May 1920 during a small celebration for his 80th birthday. He was buried in Boscome Cemetery with full naval honours, a Naval Detachment from Southampton acting as pall bearers.

Miss Margaret Mayo continued to live in Rosebury Road until her own death in the early 1950s. A companion of Margaret Mayo, Miss Bella Doyle, who had lived with Margaret for many years, said that Arthur Mayo's Victoria Cross had been offered to Stonyhurst College, a Catholic Training College, in 1931, but was not accepted because Mayo was not an old boy.

After consultation with the then Parish Priest at Corpus Christi Parish in Boscombe it was decided that a stained glass window be placed in the Lady Chapel in Corpus Christi Church in Arthur's memory. It was around this time that an approach was made by the Museum of Bombay asking Margaret if they might have the Victoria Cross, and by way of gratitude, make a donation to the erection of the window. The Lady Chapel was completely rebuilt from August 1931 until completion in April 1932.

Therefore, it is assumed the Victoria Cross awarded to Midshipman Arthur Mayo was handed over by Miss Mayo to the Museum in Bombay some time in 1931 or 1932. As yet no confirmation has been obtained to verify this and to date no replies to letters and emails have been received from the Museum of Bombay.

Medal entitlement of Midshipman Arthur Mayo - Indian Naval Brigade

• Victoria Cross
• Indian Mutiny Medal - ( 1857-58 )