John Bythesea was an officer of the Royal Navy. He 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 awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in 1854 during the Crimean War. However, in 1872 he ruined his career when he put his battleship aground at Pantellaria, resulting in his dismissal from his ship; he was never employed at sea again.
Action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross
On 9 August 1854 in the Baltic, Lieutenant Bythesea obtained permission to land on the island of Vårdö, Åland Islands off Finland with a Swedish-speaking crewman Stoker William Johnstone, to intercept important despatches from the Czar which were being sent via Vårdö to Bomarsund. "They lay in wait for three days until five Russians arrived on 12 August with the postbags. Johnstone ambushed the men, at Bythesea's signal, attempting to throw a rope around the group whilst Bythesea provided cover with just one pistol. Two of the men dropped their bags and fled while the remaining three finally surrendered. Bythesea ordered the men back to their own boat and then forced them to row it back to Arrogant, with the mailbags."
Career up to ''Lord Clyde''
On 12 March 1855, Lieutenant Bythesea was appointed captain of the paddle gun-vessel and served in the Flying Squadron in the Baltic. On 10 May 1856 he was promoted to commander, and on 20 May, Lieutenant John Bousquet Field replaced him as captain of Locust. On 4 March 1858 he took over as captain of the 17-gun screw-sloop from Charles Fellowes. At the time, Cruizer was serving in the Far East and saw action in the 2nd Anglo-Chinese War. Cruizerpaid off at Portsmouth on 1 May 1861. On 15 May 1861, he was promoted to captain. In 1862, he served on the Commission to examine Canadian defences. On 30 March 1863 he commissioned the 12-gun screw-corvette at Woolwich. Archer served on the West Africa Station. Bythesea was invalided out, and replaced by Captain Francis Marten on 12 April 1864. From 1 April 1866 until 1867, he was carried on the books of the flagship of the North American Squadron, HMS Duncan, for special service as Naval Attache in Washington, D.C. From 6 May 1867 until 29 November 1870 he was captain of the screw-frigate. Bythesea commanded her for the entire commission. She served first in the Channel squadron, then the West Indies, then joining the flying squadron at Bahia on 4 August 1869.
Loss of HMS ''Lord Clyde''
On 14 September 1871 he commissioned the battleship at Plymouth and took her out to the Mediterranean Fleet. In March 1872, Lord Clyde: The court-martial in April 1872 severely reprimanded Bythesea and the Navigating Officer, who were dismissed from their ship and neither of them were ever employed at sea again. Lord Clyde was never commissioned again.
Marriage and retirement
Bythesea married Fanny Belinda Prior in 1874, His turn for promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral came on 5 August 1877 but, because he did not have the requisite six years' sea time as a Captain, he was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Rear-Admiral. He served as consulting naval officer to the Indian Government from 1874, until the Indian Navy was restructured in 1880. He was made a Companion of the Bath and a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1878. He died at South Kensington on 18 May 1906 and was buried at Bath Abbey Cemetery, Somerset.
