Awarded The Victoria Cross
Joseph Trewavas from Mousehole Seaman, Royal Navy in the Crimean War at the Age 19
On 3 July 1855 in the Straits of Genitchi, Sea of Azov in the Crimea, Seaman Trewavas of HMS Beagle was sent in a 4-oared gig to destroy a bridge, and so cut the Russians' main supply route. This was the third attempt, the first two having failed. As the gig ground against the bridge, Seaman Trewavas leapt out with an axe and began to hew away at the hawsers holding the pontoons together, and although the enemy kept up a heavy fire, particularly on Trewavas himself, he continued until his task was completed, and the two severed ends of the pontoon began to drift apart. He was wounded as he got back into the gig.
Joseph TREWAVAS
Born: 14 December 1835 at Mousehole, Cornwall
Christened: 24 January 1836 at Paul, Cornwall
Rank: Able Seaman, Royal Navy
VC awarded: Crimea, 3 July 1855
Reported: London Gazette, 24 February 1857
Died: 20 July 1905 at Mousehole, Cornwall
Service: 1853 to 1862 in Crimea, West Indies and New Zealand
Following awards:
Victoria Cross
Legion of Honour
Crimea Medal with 3 Clasps: Alma, Inkerman, Sebastopol
Turkish Crimea Medal
All his medals were sold after his death, passing hands many times - including RN Museum, Portsmouth in the 1980's
Purchased by Penlee House Gallery & Museum Penzance in the 1990's
Transcriptions of articles : 'A Cornish Hero's Sad Act', 'The Inquest and Verdict', 'Funeral of Mr. Jos. Trewavas VC'
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Trewavas intro family tree showing Victoria Cross holder be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Trewavas family tree can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.