John Prettyjohns VC (sometimes misspelled Prettyjohn) (11 June 1823 – 20 January 1887) was the first Royal Marine to win 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.
Prettyjohns was born at Dean Prior near to Buckfastleigh, Devon. His early years were spent labouring in Buckfastleigh. On 10 June 1844 he enlisted as a private, 59th Company,...
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John Prettyjohns VC (sometimes misspelled Prettyjohn) (11 June 1823 – 20 January 1887) was the first Royal Marine to win 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.
Prettyjohns was born at Dean Prior near to Buckfastleigh, Devon. His early years were spent labouring in Buckfastleigh. On 10 June 1844 he enlisted as a private, 59th Company, Plymouth Division, for unlimited service - and collected 2s 6d for attestation. On the following day, he collected a bounty of £3 17s 6d for oath of allegiance. He embarked on HMS Melampus to south-east USA and East Indies on the 22 March 1845, being flogged for an unknown misdeameanour on 28 June. He disembarked at Chatham on 23 August 1849, and joined HMS Bellerophon on 7 November 1850. On this ship, he embarked for the Mediterranean in January 1852, being promoted to corporal on 15 January. On 17 October 1854, HMS Bellerophon bombarded...
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