William Nathan Wrighte Hewett
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Vice Admiral Sir William Nathan Wrighte Hewett VC, KCB, KCSI (2 August 1834-13 May 1888) 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.
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[edit] Details
He was 20 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, (Naval Brigade) during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 26 October 1854 at Sebastopol, Crimea, Lieutenant Hewett, commander of HMS Beagle, was in charge of the Right Lancaster Battery which was being threatened by the enemy, when through a misunderstanding he was ordered to spike his gun and retreat. The lieutenant, however, took on himself the responsibility of disregarding the order. He then pulled down the parapet of the battery and with the assistance of some soldiers slewed his gun round and poured on the advancing enemy a most destructive and effectual fire. On 5 November at the Battle of Inkerman he again acted with great bravery.
[edit] Further information
He later achieved the rank of Vice-Admiral. In 1884, Admiral Hewett led a delegation to Emperor Yohannes IV which negotiated, in exchange for free transit of guns and ammunition through Massawa, access through Ethiopian territory the successful evacuation of the Egyptian garrisons that had been isolated in southern Sudan by the revolt of Muhammad Ahmad (also known as the Mahdi) against the Egyptian rulers.[1]. He commanded the Naval Brigade during the Mahdist War.
[edit] The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Maritime Museum (Greenwich, England).
[edit] Notes
- ^ Paul B. Henze, Layers of Time, A History of Ethiopia (New York: Palgrave, 2000), pp. 155f
[edit] External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Hampshire)
