The Friends of Highland Road Cemetery The Friends of Highland Road Cemetery

HOLDERS OF THE VICTORIA CROSS


 

Henry James Raby VC

Gravestone Inscription

IN
LOVING MEMORY
OF
REAR-ADMIRAL RABY V.C., C.B.
BORN SEPTEMBER 26TH 1827
DIED FEBRUARY 12TH 1907
 
"THESE MEN SEE THE WORKS OF THE LORD
AND HIS WONDERS OF THE DEEP"

-------------
ALSO OF
MONTAGUE H.B. RABY
CAPTAIN ROYAL ARTILLERY
ELDEST SON OF
REAR ADMIRAL RABY
BORN NOV 1ST 1865
DIED AT BATH SEPT. 21ST 1897

 

Details of Award
On 18 June 1855 in the Crimea, immediately after the assault on Sebastopol, a soldier of the 57th Regiment, who had been wounded in both legs, was observed sitting up and calling for help. At once Lieutenant Raby and two seamen (CURTIS, Henry and TAYLOR J.) left the shelter of their battery works and ran forward a distance of 70 yards, across open ground, through heavy gunfire and succeeded in carrying the wounded man to safety.
 
Further Information
Raby later achieved the rank of Rear Admiral. He was the first person, ever, to receive the Victoria Cross at an Investiture on Hyde Park on 26th June 1857. It was presented by Her Majesty Queen Victoria. (Even though he was not the first person to be awarded the VC, that honour going to Mate Charles Davis LUCAS).
He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He also held the Légion d'Honneur of France, the Order of Medjidie, the Crimean, Sardinian and Turkish Medals with Clasps for Sebastopol and Inkerman.
He was the son of Arthur Turnour Raby, of Llanelli, Carmarthen, Wales. He was educated at Sherborne School, entering the Navy in 1842 when he joined HMS Monarch. In 1848 he was on Mates rate, being promoted to Lieutenant in 1850. He served aboard HMS Wasp on Africa's West Coast until 1854 when the Crimean War began. He was sent to the Black Sea, where he fought in the trenches from 23rd October 1854 to 16th September 1855. It was as second-in-command of a ladder party on the Redan, that he won his VC.
 
LIFE IN SOUTHSEA
In 1875 Raby was reported to be living at Crembourne House, Nightingale Road, Southsea. After 4 years there he moved briefly to Bath before returning to 6 Clarence Parade, Southsea. He moved finally to 8 Clarence Parade in 1881 where he died of senile decay, aged 79, in 1907.
 
NAVAL CAREER
 
08 MAR 1842: Volunteer 1st Class
1842: HMS Monarch
07 MAR 1848: Mate, HMS Rodney
21 APR 1848: Mate, HMS Trafalgar until 30 JUN 1848
08 JUL 1848: Mate, HMS Victory until 19 DEC 1848
30 MAR 1849: Mate, HMS Ocean
28 NOV 1849: HMS Terrible until 21 JAN 1850
15 JAN 1850: Lieutenant
02 OCT 1850: HMS Wasp West Coast of Africa and afterwards on the coast off Circassia in support of the Turkish Army 23 OCT 1854 - 16 SEP 1855: Landed with the Naval Brigade and served in the Crimean Trenches
20 SEP 1855: Promoted to Commander for his bravery
04 JAN 1856: Left HMS Wasp
01 AUG 1856: HMS Medusa in command
12 OCT 1859: HMS Weser in command
27 JAN 1860: HMS Alecto in command. Captured the boats of the squadron at the capture and destruction of Porto Nova, West coast of Africa (wounded 23 APR 1861) and Mentioned in Despatches
24 NOV 1862: Captain
22 JUN 1868: HMS Adventure, Captain in Command. While serving on the west coast of Africa he was frequently Mentioned in Despatches for actions against the slave trade. Received the thanks of the Foreign Office for the conclusion of a treaty with the chiefs of Old Calabar River
18 JAN 1871: Left HMS Adventure
21 MAR 1878: Rear Admiral