William Nathan Wrighte Hewett
Lieutenant (later Vice-Admiral), Royal Navy (Naval Brigade)
- Register No.
- 563 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant (later Vice-Admiral) (register: Lieutenant) all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (Naval Brigade) (register: HMS Beagle) all HMS Beagle VCs →
- Date of action
- 26 October 1854 on this day → all of 1854 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Crimean War
- London Gazette
- 24th February 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Born
- 2nd August 1834 at Brighton, Sussex
- Died
- 13th May 1888 at Southsea, Hampshire
- Memorial / grave
- at Highland Road Cemetery, Portsmouth
- Medal held by
- the National Maritime Museum. (Greenwich)
Digest of citation
On 26th October 1854 at Sebastopol, Crimea, Lieutenant Hewett, commander of HMS Beagle, was in charge of the Right Lancaster Battery which was being threatened by the enemy, when through a misunderstanding he was ordered to spike his gun and retreat. The Lieutenant, however, took on himself the responsibility of disregarding the order. He then pulled down the parapet of the battery and with the assistance of some soldiers slewed his gun round and poured on the advancing enemy a most destructive and effectual fire. On 5th November at the Battle of Inkerman he again acted wqith great bravery
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HEWETT, William Nathan Wrighte (Reg No.563)
Lieutenant (later Vice-Admiral) Royal Navy (Naval Brigade)
London Gazetted on 24th February 1857.
VC Medal's Custodian is the National Maritime Museum. (Greenwich).
Born on 2nd August 1834 at Brighton, Sussex.
Died on 13th May 1888 at Southsea, Hampshire.
Memorial on grave at Highland Road Cemetery, Portsmouth.
Digest of Citation reads: On 26th October 1854 at Sebastopol, Crimea, Lieutenant Hewett, commander of HMS Beagle, was in charge of the Right Lancaster Battery which was being threatened by the enemy, when through a misunderstanding he was ordered to spike his gun and retreat. The Lieutenant, however, took on himself the responsibility of disregarding the order. He then pulled down the parapet of the battery and with the assistance of some soldiers slewed his gun round and poured on the advancing enemy a most destructive and effectual fire. On 5th November at the Battle of Inkerman he again acted wqith great bravery.
Additional information: William (Bully) Hewett was the son of Dr William Wrighte Hewett and Susan Moore (daughter of Dr. John Maddy) He joined the Royal Navy on the 26th March 1847, serving as a midshipman in the Burmese War 1851 and also in the Naval Brigade and China for which he got the Burmese and China medal. He was serving on the HMS Beagle, a gun vessel, as acting Mate when he was attached to the Naval Brigade. It was at this time that he was cited for the VC. He was promoted to Lieutenant with effect from this date, 26th October 1854, and was given command of HMS Beagle.* and served in the actions Kertch, Yenikale and the Sea of Azov. Kingslake described how Hewett and Shrard OsBorn on completed the destruction and obtained control of the Arabit Spit. More to be added.
From Alf's photographs
Additional information
William (Bully) Hewett was the son of Dr William Wrighte Hewett and Susan Moore (daughter of Dr. John Maddy) He joined the Royal Navy on the 26th March 1847, serving as a midshipman in the Burmese War 1851 and also in the Naval Brigade and China for which he got the Burmese and China medal. He was serving on the HMS Beagle, a gun vessel, as acting Mate when he was attached to the Naval Brigade. It was at this time that he was cited for the VC. He was promoted to Lieutenant with effect from this date, 26th October 1854, and was given command of HMS Beagle.* and served in the actions Kertch, Yenikale and the Sea of Azov. Kingslake described how Hewett and Shrard OsBorn on completed the destruction and obtained control of the Arabit Spit. More to be added.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Highland Road Cemetery, Portsmouth
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