George Ingouville

George Henry Ingouville VC (October 7 1826-January 13 1869) was a 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.

George Ingouville was born at St. Saviour, Jersey. He was 28 years old, and a captain of the Mast in the Royal Navy during the Crimean War. On 13 July 1855 at the Fort of Viborg in the Gulf of Finland, while the boats of HMS "Arrogant" were engaged with the enemy, her second cutter was swamped by the blowing up of her magazine and drifted inshore under enemy guns. Captain of the Mast Ingouville, although wounded, jumped overboard, swam round to the boat's bows, took hold of the painter and tried to turn the cutter out to sea. A lieutenant of the Royal Marine Artillery (George Dare Dowell) came to his assistance, when with three volunteers, he took off the crew from the cutter, rescued Ingouville from the water and then towed the stricken boat out of gun range.

The medal

Ingouville's VC can be seen in the Maritime Museum on the New North Quay in St Helier, Jersey.

External links

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7678241 Find-A-Grave Profile]