William Hall
Able Seaman, Royal Navy (Naval Brigade)
- Register No.
- 511 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Able Seaman all Able Seamans →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (Naval Brigade) (register: HMS Shannon) all HMS Shannon VCs →
- Date of action
- 16 November 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 1st February, 1859 on this day → all of 1859 →
- Born
- 28th April, 1827 at Horton's Bluff, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Died
- 25th August, 1904 at Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Memorial / grave
- on the Cairn monument at Hantsport, Nova Scotia
Digest of citation
On 16th November, 1857 at Lucknow, India, naval guns were brought up close to the Shah Nujeff Mosque, and the gun crews kept up a steady fire in an attempt to breach the walls, while a hail of musket balls and grenades from the mutineers inside the mosque caused heavy casualties. Able Seaman Hall and the Lieutenant * in command of the gun crews were , after a time, the only survivors, all the rest having been killed or wounded, and between them they loaded and served the last gun
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HALL, William. (reg No. 511).
Able Seaman. Royal Navy (Naval Brigade).
Gazetted on 1st February, 1859.
Born on 28th April, 1827 at Horton's Bluff, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Died on 25th August, 1904 at Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Memorial on the Cairn monument at Hantsport, Nova Scotia.
Digest of Citation reads: On 16th November, 1857 at Lucknow, India, naval guns were brought up close to the Shah Nujeff Mosque, and the gun crews kept up a steady fire in an attempt to breach the walls, while a hail of musket balls and grenades from the mutineers inside the mosque caused heavy casualties. Able Seaman Hall and the Lieutenant * in command of the gun crews were , after a time, the only survivors, all the rest having been killed or wounded, and between them they loaded and served the last gun.
* T J Young (reg No.1347).
Additional information:. Petty Officer Hall was the first coloured man to win the Victoria Cross .
Additional information
Petty Officer Hall was the first coloured man to win the Victoria Cross .
* T J Young (reg No.1347).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: on the Cairn monument at Hantsport, Nova Scotia
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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