Sneha Girap (Editor)

Nowell Salmon

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Allegiance
  
United Kingdom

Role
  
Military officer

Awards
  
Name
  
Nowell Salmon

Service/branch
  
Rank
  
Admiral of the Fleet

Years of service
  
1847–1905

Education
  

Nowell Salmon wwwlordashcroftmedalscomwpcontentuploads2013

Born
  
20 February 1835Swarraton, Hampshire (
1835-02-20
)

Buried at
  
St Peter's Churchyard, Curdridge

Commands held
  
HMS IcarusHMS DefenceHMS ValiantHMS SwiftsureCape of Good Hope StationChina StationPortsmouth Command

Battles/wars
  
Crimean WarIndian Mutiny

Died
  
February 14, 1912, Southsea, Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Battles and wars
  
Crimean War, Indian Rebellion of 1857

Place of burial
  
Curdridge, United Kingdom

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Nowell Salmon (20 February 1835 – 14 February 1912) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he served in the naval brigade and took part in the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny. He was a member of the force defending the Residency when he volunteered to climb a tree near the wall of the Shah Nujeff mosque to observe the fall of shot, despite being under fire himself and wounded in the thigh. He and his colleague, Leading Seaman John Harrison, were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces for this action.

Contents

Nowell Salmon Nowell Salmon The Dreadnought Project

A few years later Salmon was dispatched from Belize to take custody of William Walker, an American citizen who had briefly been president of Nicaragua, but who was now attempting further conquests in Central America. The British Government regarded Walker as a menace to its own affairs in the region. Salmon captured Walker and delivered him to the authorities in Honduras, who promptly had him court-martialed and shot.

Salmon went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station, then Commander-in-Chief, China Station and finally Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.

Early career

Salmon was the son of Reverend Henry Salmon, Rector of Swarraton and Emily Salmon (daughter of Admiral William Nowell), Salmon was educated at Marlborough College and joined the Royal Navy as cadet in May 1847. Promoted to midshipman, he was appointed to the second-rate HMS James Watt in the Baltic Sea in March 1854 and saw action during the Crimean War. Promoted to lieutenant on 5 January 1856, he joined the gunboat HMS Ant in March 1856 before transferring to the frigate HMS Shannon on the East Indies Station later that year. He served in the naval brigade and took part in the Siege of Lucknow in November 1857 during the Indian Mutiny. He was a member of the force defending the Residency when he volunteered to climb a tree near the wall of the Shah Nujeff mosque to observe the fall of shot, despite being under fire himself and wounded in the thigh. He and his colleague, Leading Seaman John Harrison, were awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation reads:

Date of Act of Bravery, 16 November 1857

For conspicuous gallantry at Lucknow, on the 16 November 1857, in climbing up a tree, touching the angle of the Shah Nujjiff, to reply to the fire of the enemy, for which most dangerous service, the late Captain Peel, K.C.B., had called for volunteers.

Salmon took part in the Recapture of Lucknow in March 1858 and was promoted to commander on 22 March 1858. He became commanding officer of the sloop HMS Icarus on the North America and West Indies Station in November 1859. In 1860, Salmon was dispatched from Belize to take custody of William Walker, an American citizen who had briefly been president of Nicaragua, but who was now attempting further conquests in Central America. The British Government regarded Walker as a menace to its own affairs in the region. Salmon captured Walker and delivered him to the authorities in Honduras, who promptly had him court-martialed and shot.

Promoted to captain on 12 December 1863, Salmon became commanding officer of the ironclad warship HMS Defence in the Mediterranean Fleet in March 1869 and then commanding officer of the ironclad warship HMS Valiant on the Coast of Ireland Station in April 1874. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 29 May 1875 and a naval aide-de-camp to the Queen on 12 December 1875 before becoming commanding officer of the battleship HMS Swiftsure in the Mediterranean Fleet on 28 November 1877.

Senior command

Promoted to rear admiral on 2 August 1879, Salmon became Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station, with his flag in the corvette HMS Boadicea, in April 1882. Promoted to vice admiral on 1 July 1885, he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 21 June 1887. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, China Station, with his flag in the armoured cruiser HMS Imperieuse, in December 1887.

Salmon was promoted to full admiral on 10 September 1891 and became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in June 1894. He was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 22 June 1897 and led the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Review at Spithead on 26 June 1897 before being appointed First and Principal Naval Aide-de-camp to the Queen on 23 August 1897. Promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 13 January 1899, he retired in February 1905, died at his home in Southsea on 14 February 1912 and was buried at St Peter's Churchyard in Curdridge.

Salmon's Victoria Cross is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum in London.

Family

In January 1866 Salmon married Emily Augusta Saunders; they had a son and a daughter.

References

Nowell Salmon Wikipedia


Similar Topics