Ronald Niel Stuart

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Ronald Niel Stuart (VC, DSO, RD, Croix de Guerre avec Palmes (France), United States Navy Cross) was an English recipient of 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.

He was 30 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 7 June 1917 in the Atlantic, Lieutenant Stuart was serving in HMS Pargust (one of the Q-ships) which was inviting an attack by U-boats. At about 8am a U-boat fired a torpedo at close range and damaged Pargust's engine room. The 'Panic party' went away and the U-boat surfaced, its captain thinking that a merchant vessel had been hit, but when the U-boat was only about 50 yards away, the commander of Pargust gave the order to fire. The submarine tried to get away, but had received a great number of direct hits and blew up and sank almost at once. See also William Williams

Awarded by ballot. He later achieved the rank of captain.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Maritime Museum (Greenwich, England).