William Peel (naval officer)

Captain Sir William Peel VC KCB (2 November 1824–27 April 1858) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the third son of the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, both of whom were educated at Harrow School.

Details
He was 29 years old, and a captain in the Royal Navy, serving with the Naval Brigade during the Crimean War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 18 October 1854 at Sebastopol, Crimea, Captain Peel took up a live shell with the fuse still burning from amongst several powder cases and threw it over the parapet. The shell, burst as it left his hands. On 5 November at the Battle of Inkerman he joined some of the officers of the Grenadier Guards and helped to defend the Colours of the regiment when they were hard pressed. On 18 June 1855 he led the first scaling party at the assault on the Redan, and was himself severely wounded. On each of these occasions Captain Peel was accompanied by a young midshipman (Edward St. John Daniel) as ADC.

At the age of 34, he died of smallpox, Cawnpore, India, on 21 April 1858.

Further information
Author of A Ride through the Nubian Desert (1852), detailing his travels of the preceding year. After the Crimean War, he served in the Indian Mutiny, and was wounded at the Relief of Lucknow. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, and thus became Sir William Peel. There is a memorial to Captain Peel and the Naval Brigade from HMS Shannon on the seafront at Southsea, Portsmouth, UK. See http://www.memorials.inportsmouth.co.uk/southsea/shannon.htm for details.

The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Maritime Museum (Greenwich, England).

William Peel