List of Victoria Cross recipients of the Royal Navy
The Victoria Cross is a naval and military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other postnominals and medals. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and civilians under military command, and is presented to the recipient by the British monarch during an investiture held at Buckingham Palace. It is the joint highest award for bravery in the United Kingdom with the George Cross, which is the equivalent honour for valour not "in the face of the enemy." The VC has been awarded on 1356 occasions to 1353 individual recipients.
The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War. The traditional explanation of the source of the gunmetal from which the medals are struck is that it derives from Russian cannon captured at the siege of Sevastopol. Recent research has thrown doubt on this story, suggesting a variety of origins. The original Royal Warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously. Between 1897 and 1901, several notices were issued in the London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not "officially" awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six officers and men. The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to explicitly allow posthumous awards until 1920 but one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous.
Within this list, the date of action listed is the year in which the action took place for which the VC was awarded. The most naval Victoria Crosses awarded in a single conflict were for the First World War, followed by the Second World War and then the Crimean War. There have been a total of 117 recipients of the Victoria Cross who served with the Royal Navy. Sixty-eight awards were to ship-based Royal Navy personnel, with 49 given to those who served with other organisations within the British naval service, such as the Royal Naval Brigade and the Royal Marines. The Royal Marines have received 10 Victoria Crosses, the Royal Naval Reserve and Volunteer Reserve being awarded 22 VCs. Richard Bell-Davies of the Royal Naval Air Service also received an award. Note: this list does not include naval awards of the VC to persons serving in navies other than the British, i.e. Lieut. R.H. Gray, VC, DSC, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve.
Recipients
| Name | Vessel | Date of action | Conflict | Place of action | Notes |
| 43 Commando | 1945* | Second World War | Comacchio, Italy | ||
| Fleet Air Arm No. 825 Squadron | 1942* | Second World War | Straits of Dover, England | ||
| 1882 | Occupation of Egypt | Alexandria, Egypt | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Sea of Azov, Crimea | |||
| 1854 | Crimean War | Åland Islands, Finland | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Fort of Viborg, Finland | |||
| 1854 | Crimean War | Åland Islands, Finland | |||
| 1914 | First World War | Dardanelles, Turkey | |||
| 1854 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Sea of Azov, Crimea | |||
| 1918 | First World War | Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium | |||
| 1917* | First World War | Battle of Heligoland, Germany | |||
| 1942 | Second World War | St. Nazaire, France | |||
| 1942 | Second World War | St. Nazaire, France | |||
| 1916* | First World War | Battle of Jutland, Denmark | |||
| HM Coastal Motor Boat 4 | 1919 | Baltic Campaign | Kronstadt, Russia | ||
| HM Coastal Motor Boat 31 | 1919 | Baltic Campaign | Kronstadt, Russia | ||
| HM Coastal Motor Boat 88 | 1919 | Baltic Campaign | Kronstadt, Russia | ||
| 1915* | First World War | Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia | |||
| 1941* | Second World War | Crete, Mediterranean | |||
| 1854 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | |||
| 1917 | First World War | Bay of Biscay, Atlantic | |||
| 1915 | First World War | Dardanelles, Turkey | |||
| 1915 | First World War | Dardanelles, Turkey | |||
| 1918* | First World War | Dardanelles, Turkey | |||
| 1864 | Bombardment of Shimonoseki | Shimonoseki, Japan | |||
| 1864 | Bombardment of Shimonoseki | Shimonoseki, Japan | |||
| 1864 | Bombardment of Shimonoseki | Shimonoseki, Japan | |||
| 1917 | First World War | Atlantic Ocean | |||
| 1940* | Second World War | Portland, England | |||
| 1940* | Second World War | West Ford, Norway | |||
| 1914 | First World War | Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika | |||
| 1940* | Second World War | Narvik, Norway | |||
| 1864 | New Zealand Wars | Te Papa, New Zealand | |||
| 1898 | Occupation of Crete | Crete, Greece | |||
| 1854 | Crimean War | Åland Islands, Finland | |||
| 1884 | Mahdist War | Battles of El Teb, Sudan | |||
| 1918* | First World War | Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium | |||
| 1940* | Second World War | Atlantic Ocean | |||
| 1916* | First World War | Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Sea of Azov, Crimea | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Taganrog, Crimea | |||
| HM Motor Gun Boat 314 | 1942* | Second World War | St. Nazaire, France | ||
| 1916 | First World War | Battle of Jutland, Denmark | |||
| 1860 | New Zealand Wars | Omata, New Zealand | |||
| 1942 | Second World War | North Cape, Norway | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Genitichi, Crimea | |||
| 1915 | First World War | Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey | |||
| 1915 | First World War | Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey | |||
| 1915* | First World War | Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey | |||
| /Naval Brigade | 1857 | Indian Rebellion of 1857 | Siege of Lucknow, India | ||
| 1862 | Taiping Rebellion | Fung Wha, China | |||
| 1916* | First World War | Battle of Jutland, Denmark | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Sea of Azov, Crimea | |||
| 1942 | Second World War | Crete, Mediterranean | |||
| 1942 | Second World War | Crete, Mediterranean | |||
| 1942 | Second World War | Corfu, Greece | |||
| 1943* | Second World War | Mediterranean | |||
| 1941* | Second World War | Sicily, Mediterranean | |||
| 1915 | First World War | Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey | |||
| 1918 | First World War | Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium | |||
| 1918 | First World War | Ostend, Belgium | |||
| 1918* | First World War | Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium | |||
| 1918 | First World War | Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium | |||
| 1942 | Second World War | Oran, Algeria | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Sea of Azov, Crimea | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Sea of Azov, Crimea | |||
| 1855 | Crimean War | Sea of Azov, Crimea | |||
| 1945 | Second World War | Johore Straits, Singapore | |||
| 1943 | Second World War | Kåfjord, Norway | |||
| Naval Brigade | 1855 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1854 | Crimean War | Battle of Inkerman, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1900 | Boxer Rebellion | Tientsin, China | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1857 | Indian Rebellion of 1857 | Siege of Lucknow, India | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1854 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1855 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1854 | Crimean War | Battle of Inkerman, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1858 | Indian Rebellion of 1857 | Siege of Lucknow, India | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1857 | Indian Rebellion of 1857 | Siege of Lucknow, India | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1854 | Crimean War | Battle of Inkerman, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1855 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1855 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1855 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | ||
| Naval Brigade | 1857 | Indian Rebellion of 1857 | Siege of Lucknow, India | ||
| No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service | 1915 | First World War | Ferrijik Junction, Bulgaria | ||
| No. 1 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service | 1915 | First World War | Ghent, Belgium | ||
| Royal Marine Artillery | 1855 | Crimean War | Fort of Viborg, Gulf of Finland | ||
| Royal Marine Artillery | 1918 | First World War | Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium | ||
| Royal Marine Artillery | 1917 | First World War | Francilly, France | ||
| Royal Marine Artillery | 1855 | Crimean War | Siege of Sevastopol, Crimea | ||
| Royal Marine Light Infantry | 1918 | First World War | Zeebrugge Raid, Belgium | ||
| Royal Marine Light Infantry | 1900 | Boxer Rebellion | Peking, China | ||
| Royal Marine Light Infantry | 1916* | First World War | Battle of Jutland, Denmark | ||
| Royal Marine Light Infantry | 1915 | First World War | Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli, Turkey | ||
| Royal Marine Light Infantry | 1854 | Crimean War | Battle of Inkerman, Crimea | ||
| Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | 1918 | First World War | Logeast Wood, France | ||
| Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | 1918 | First World War | Ostend, Belgium | ||
| Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | 1916* | First World War | Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia | ||
| Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | 1918 | First World War | Zeebrugge, Belgium | ||
| Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | 1918 | First World War | Ostend, Belgium | ||
| Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | 1918 | First World War | Pronville, France | ||
| Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | 1915 | First World War | Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1918 | First World War | English Channel, England | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1917 | First World War | Bay of Biscay, Atlantic Ocean | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1943 | Second World War | Kåfjord, Norway | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1917* | First World War | North Sea | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1915 | First World War | Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1945 | Second World War | Johore Straits, Singapore | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1915* | First World War | Atlantic Ocean | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1915 | First World War | Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1917* | First World War | Atlantic Ocean | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1917* | First World War | Atlantic Ocean | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1940 | Second World War | Namsos, Norway | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1917 | First World War | Atlantic Ocean | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1917 | First World War | Strait of Otranto, Italy | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1942* | Second World War | Java Sea, Malaya | ||
| Royal Naval Reserve | 1917 | First World War | Atlantic Ocean |