William Johnstone

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

JOHNSTONE, William. (Reg No.648)

Stoker Royal Navy.

London Gazetted on 24th February 1857.

Born on: 1821(Date unknown) at Hanover, Germany.

Died on: Place and time not known.

Citation reads. On 9 August 1854 in the Baltic, Stoker Johnstone and Lieutenant Bythesea (Reg.No 165) from HMS Arrogant, landed on the island of Wardo in order to intercept important despatches from the Czar which were being sent via Wardo to Bomarsund. The two men spent two nights reconnoitring the island and on 12 August when the despatches arrived they ambushed the five Russians carrying them. Two of the carriers dropped their mail-bags and ran, but the other three surrendered and were taken to Arrogant. In this action the officer and stoker were armed with just one pistol.

Additional information: Johnstone was actually only the third person to be awarded the Victoria Cross even though it was London Gazetted in the twenty-third place. The pistol, the only one between them , was a flint-pistol. Both men were disguised. On the 12th August 1854, Lieutenant Bythesea, the stoker's superior, hid behind the hedge and waited for the men with the despatches to arrive. After giving the signal, a low whistle, Johnstone ran up the road and threw a rope around the group. Two of them ran off as quickly as they could after dropping their mail-bags After a short struggle the other three gave in. Lt. Bythesea ordered the men into their own boat and instructed them to row to the Arrogant. Stoker Johnstone steered the craft as the officer kept the prisoners covered with the pistol. There is no record of where or when his death took place.