John Edmund Commerell
Commander, Royal Navy
- Register No.
- 240 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Commander all Commanders →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (register: HMS Weser) all HMS Weser VCs →
- Date of action
- 11 October 1855 on this day → all of 1855 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Crimean War
- London Gazette
- 24th February 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Born
- 13th January 1829 at London
- Died
- 21st May 1901 at London
- Memorial / grave
- Cheriton Road Cemetery, Folkestone, Kent
Digest of citation
On 11th October 1855 in the Sea of Azov, Crimea,, Commander Commerell of HMS Weser, with the Quartermaster* and a seaman, went to destroy a large quantity of forage on the shore of the Putrid Sea. After a difficult and dangerous journey they reach their objective, a magazine of corn, and managed to ignite the stacks, but the guards were alerted and immediately opened fire and gave chase. The pursuit was so hot that the men had difficulty in escaping but they finally reached their ship and the lookouts later reported that the fodder store had burned to the ground
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
COMMERELL, John Edmund. (reg No. 240)
Commander Royal Navy.
London Gazetted on 24th February 1857.
Born on 13th January 1829 at London.
Died on 21st May 1901 at London.
Memorial at Cheriton Road Cemetery, Folkestone, Kent.
Digest of Citation reads: On 11th October 1855 in the Sea of Azov, Crimea,, Commander Commerell of HMS Weser, with the Quartermaster* and a seaman, went to destroy a large quantity of forage on the shore of the Putrid Sea. After a difficult and dangerous journey they reach their objective, a magazine of corn, and managed to ignite the stacks, but the guards were alerted and immediately opened fire and gave chase. The pursuit was so hot that the men had difficulty in escaping but they finally reached their ship and the lookouts later reported that the fodder store had burned to the ground.
* W T Rickard (reg No. 1050)
Additional information:. Admiral Comerrell was also a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath. He was commander-in-chief North American and West Indies Station in 1881. C in C Portsmouth in 1888. He was a Groom-in-Waiting to Queen Victoria in 1891 and Admiral and Fleet 1892.
Additional information
Admiral Comerrell was also a Knight Grand Cross of the Bath. He was commander-in-chief North American and West Indies Station in 1881. C in C Portsmouth in 1888. He was a Groom-in-Waiting to Queen Victoria in 1891 and Admiral and Fleet 1892.
* W T Rickard (reg No. 1050)
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Cheriton Road Cemetery, Folkestone, Kent
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