Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC has had his latest “hero of the month” article published in Britain at War, the country’s best-selling military history monthly magazine.
The January issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Leading Stoker William Johnstone who was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for great courage during the Crimean War.
The background to Johnstone’s early life is, at best vague, but there is no doubt that he was brave when he was asked to accompany Lieutenant John Bythesea on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines.
The two men rowed ashore from their ship, HMS Arrogant in order to try to ambush messengers carrying Russian mail that was being transported on the island of Vårdö, one of the Åland islands and scene of some of the early fighting in the Crimean War. The islands are situated between Sweden and Finland.
With only a flintlock pistol each as weapons, the two sailors hid in the bushes and ambushed the unarmed messengers, capturing at least three of them along with their dispatches. The sailors then returned to their ship with the Russian mail and their prisoners.
After the VC was created by Queen Victoria, the award of it for both Bythesea and Johnstone was announced in The London Gazette on February 24 1857.
Lord Ashcroft’s article reveals new information about Johnstone’s birthplace and nationality. Sadly, Johnstone met an untimely death in August 1857, aged just 34.
After attacking another sailor with a knife on board a naval ship in the West Indies, he turned the knife on himself, slitting his own throat. It is not known if Johnstone had been presented with the VC at the time of his death.
Lord Ashcroft’s articles for Britain at War for the past 11 years have been largely based on excerpts from his seven books on gallantry: Victoria Cross Heroes, Special Forces Heroes, George Cross Heroes, Heroes of the Skies, Special Ops Heroes, Victoria Cross Heroes Volume II and Falklands War Heroes.
Lord Ashcroft is a military historian who has lectured extensively on courage and his various medal collections.
