| Nowell Salmon | |
|---|---|
Admiral Salmon as depicted on a cigarette card |
|
| Born | 20 February 1835 Swarraton, Hampshire |
| Died | 14 February 1912 (aged 76) Southsea, Hampshire |
| Buried at | St Peter's Churchyard, Curdridge |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Unit | HMS Shannon |
| Commands held | HMS Defence HMS Valiant Cape of Good Hope Station China Station Portsmouth Command |
| Battles/wars | Crimean War Indian Mutiny |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Nowell Salmon VC, GCB (20 February 1835 – 14 February 1912) 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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Salmon was the son of Reverend H. Salmon, rector of Swarraton, Hampshire and Emily, the daughter of Admiral Nowell who fought at the Battle of the Saintes and as a commander in the American Revolutionary War. After leaving Marlborough College he joined the Navy as cadet in 1847,[1] and served from the Baltic to the Cape.
He was 22 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, serving in a Naval Brigade from HMS Shannon during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place at the siege of Lucknow for which he and John Harrison was awarded the VC. His citation reads
Date of Act of Bravery, 16th November, 1857 For conspicuous gallantry at Lucknow, on the 16th of 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.[2]
He was made captain of the ironclad warships HMS Defence and HMS Valiant and went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station in 1882,[1] Commander-in-Chief of the China Station in 1887[1] and Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in 1894.[1]
Major-General Harry Salmon was the grandson of Nowell Salmon's brother. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Frederick Richards |
Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station 1882–1885 |
Succeeded by Sir Walter Hunt-Grubbe |
| Preceded by Sir Richard Hamilton |
Commander-in-Chief, China Station 1887–1890 |
Succeeded by Sir Frederick Richards |
| Preceded by The Earl of Clanwilliam |
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth 1894–1897 |
Succeeded by Sir Michael Culme-Seymour |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by Sir Algernon Lyons |
First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp 1897–1899 |
Succeeded by Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Bt. |