George Fiott Day
Lieutenant, Royal Navy
- Register No.
- 315 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (register: HMS Recruit) all HMS Recruit VCs →
- Date of action
- 17 September 1855 on this day → all of 1855 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Crimean War
- London Gazette
- 24th February, 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Born
- 20th June, 1819 at Southampton, Hampshire
- Died
- 18th December, 1876 at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
- Memorial / grave
- at Weston-super-Mare Cemetery
Digest of citation
On 17th September, 1855 at Genitichi, Crimea, Lieutenant Day of HMS Recruit was put ashore from a rowing boat to reconnoitre the bridge, batteries and enemy gunboats on the Spit of Arabat. He went alone and after covering four or five miles of swampy ground, sometimes up to his thighs in water, he got to within 200 yards of the enemy position, where he found that the gunboats appeared to be undermanned and lightly defended. He returned to his ship convinced that a surprise attack was possible, but he had to abandon this plan when he returned on 19 September and found the enemy on the alert and the gunboats fully manned
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
DAY, George Fiott. (reg No. 315).
Lieutenant. Royal Navy.
London Gazetted on 24th February, 1857.
Born on 20th June, 1819 at Southampton, Hampshire.
Died on 18th December, 1876 at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
Memorial on grave at Weston-super-Mare Cemetery.
Digest of Citation reads: On 17th September, 1855 at Genitichi, Crimea, Lieutenant Day of HMS Recruit was put ashore from a rowing boat to reconnoitre the bridge, batteries and enemy gunboats on the Spit of Arabat. He went alone and after covering four or five miles of swampy ground, sometimes up to his thighs in water, he got to within 200 yards of the enemy position, where he found that the gunboats appeared to be undermanned and lightly defended. He returned to his ship convinced that a surprise attack was possible, but he had to abandon this plan when he returned on 19 September and found the enemy on the alert and the gunboats fully manned.
Additional information:. Captain Day was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath. (CB). His foreign decorations included the Légion d'Honneur (France) and the Turkish Order of Medjidie, Fifth Class.
From Alf's photographs
King George VI Salute (D Day)- Rowlands Castle, Hants (gallery)
Additional information
Captain Day was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath. (CB). His foreign decorations included the Légion d'Honneur (France) and the Turkish Order of Medjidie, Fifth Class.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Weston-super-Mare Cemetery
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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