Michael Daniels
Edward St John Daniel VC
 The story of the first man to forfeit the Victoria Cross

  
 
              


  

Timeline: Edward St John Daniel

  
 

Date

Location

Event
3 May 1836 Long Ashton, nr. Bristol Marriage of Edward Daniel (attorney) (b. 1810) and Barbara Bedford (b. about 1814)
17 Jan 1837 1 Windsor Terrace, Clifton, Bristol Edward St John Daniel born, the first child of Edward and Barbara Daniel
6 Apr 1837 Nailsea, Somerset Daniel baptised
26 Nov 1838 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's only brother Henry Beauchamp Daniel born
26 Apr 1840 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's first sister, Barbara Anne Trefusis Daniel born
16 Nov 1844 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's second sister, Adela Margaret Daniel born
3 Feb 1850 Windsor Terrace, Clifton, Bristol Daniel's third sister, Lucy Gertrude Daniel born
13 Feb 1850 Windsor Terrace, Clifton, Bristol Daniel's mother dies of "marine phlebitis"
7 Jan 1851   Daniel enlists as a Naval Cadet and joins HMS Dauntless (to 15 Mar 1852)
16 Mar 1852   Daniel joins HMS Blenheim (to 28 Mar 1852)
29 Mar 1852   Daniel joins HMS Winchester under Capt. Granville Loch
1852 Burma Second Burma War. Daniel in action around Prome
4 Feb 1853 Donabew, Burma Capt. Granville Loch shot in action at Donabew and dies two days later.
27 Mar 1853   Daniel joins HMS Contest (to 3 Sep 1853)
7 Sep 1853 Mediterranean Daniel joins HMS Diamond as a Naval Cadet under Capt. William Peel
8 Sep 1853   Daniel promoted to Midshipman on HMS Diamond
27 Mar 1854   Britain declares war on Russia
1854 Black Sea HMS Diamond sent to the Black Sea
28 Sep 1854 Crimea Vice-Admiral James Dundas orders the formation of a Naval Brigade
Sep-Oct 1854 Sebastopol First naval camp. Daniel appointed ADC (Aide-de-camp) to Capt. Peel
16 Oct 1854 Sebastopol Daniel pens letter home "Encamped off the Walls of Sebastopol"
18 Oct 1854 Sebastopol Daniel brings up boxes of ammunition to the Diamond battery, under heavy Russian fire
5 Nov 1854 Inkerman Daniel is alongside Capt. Peel, assisting Grenadier Guards, and leading attacks against the Russians
14 Nov 1854 Paddington, Middlesex Marriage of Daniel's father, Edward Daniel (b. 1810) and Darkey Knight Jane Stewart Cox (b. 1833)
9 Dec 1854 Cambridge, England Daniel's letter home "Encamped off the Walls of Sebastopol" is published in the Cambridge Chronicle
25 Dec 1854 Sebastopol Daniel serving in the trenches
15 May 1855 Cambridge Daniel's grandmother, Hon. Barbara Bedford dies (probable recipient of the letter published in the Cambridge Chronicle)
6 Jun 1855   Daniel slightly wounded at Sebastopol (London Gazette 21 Jun 1855)
18 Jun 1855 Sebastopol Unsuccessful assault on the Redan at Sebastopol. Capt. Peel leads first ladder party but is shot. Daniel adminisers first aid and brings Peel to safety.
31 Dec 1855   Daniel's half-sister Kathleen Marion Knight Talbot Daniel born (died shortly after)
29 Jan 1856   Victoria Cross is instituted by Royal Warrant
10 May 1856   Despatch from Sir Stephen Lushington, enclosed in a letter from Admiral Lord Lyons, recommending Daniel for the Victoria Cross
4 Aug 1856   Daniel's award citation in The London Gazette for the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (5th Class). Peel awarded 4th Class.
13 Sep 1856 Portsmouth, England Capt. Peel takes command of HMS Shannon
8 Feb 1857   Daniel joins HMS Shannon
24 Feb 1857   First list of citations for the Victoria Cross is published in the London Gazette. Includes Daniel (as Daniels) and Peel
13 Mar 1857   London Gazette publishes erratum to the Victoria Cross citation of 24 Feb 1857, correcting Daniel's name from Daniels to Daniel
17 Mar 1857 Porstmouth, England HMS Shannon sets sail for China to join naval forces engaged in the Second Opium War (Second China War)
10 May 1857 Meerut, India Beginning of the Indian Mutiny
26 Jun 1857 Hyde Park, London First presentations of the Victoria Cross made by Queen Victoria (Daniel and Peel are overseas)
2 Jul 1857 Hong Kong HMS Shannon reaches Hong Kong, carrying Lord Elgin
16 Jul 1857 Hong Kong HMS Shannon sets sail for Calcutta, with Lord Elgin and 300 men
18 Jul 1857 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's half-brother, Alexander Stuart Daniel born
8 Aug 1857 Calcutta, India HMS Shannon anchored off Calcutta
22 Oct 1857 Cawnpore (Kanpur), India Daniel already sent on to Cawnpore because an artillery officer was needed
1 Nov 1857 Kujwa, India Shannon's Brigade at defeat of Mutineers at Kujwa
16 Nov 1857 Lucknow, India Midshipman Martin Abbot Daniel of Shannon's Brigade shot in the head and killed at Lucknow
17 Nov 1857 Lucknow, India Shannon's Brigade at Relief of Lucknow
6 Dec 1857 Cawnpore (Kanpur), India Shannon's Brigade at defeat of rebels at Cawnpore
2 Jan 1858 Kala Nuddee River, India Daniel with Shannon's Brigade at the Battle of Kala Nuddee
15 Feb 1858 Mansion House, London Admiral Lord Lyons gives speech in which Daniel's acts of bravery in the Crimea are lauded
Feb-Mar 1858 Lucknow, India Shannon's Brigade at the Capture of Lucknow
9 Mar 1858 Lucknow, India Capt. Peel is shot in the thigh with a musket ball
3 Apr 1858   Daniel's award citation in the London Gazette for the Imperial Order of the Medjidie (5th Class). Peel awarded 3rd Class.
27 Apr 1858 Lucknow, India Capt. Peel dies after contracting smallpox while recovering from his wounds
23 Jun 1858   Daniel "ordered by the Board to be noted as having served in the Naval Brigade in India"
30 Jun 1858 India Capt. Francis Marten takes over command of Shannon's Brigade
13 Jul 1858, 1pm Gyah, Bengal, India Daniel is presented with his Victoria Cross by Capt. Marten
31 Jul 1858 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's half-sister, Evelyn Darkey Octavia Daniel born
15 Sep 1858 Calcutta, India HMS Shannon sails for England from Calcutta
29 Dec 1858 Spithead, Porsmouth, England HMS Shannon anchors off Spithead
15 Jan 1859   Daniel's service on HMS Shannon ends
20 Apr 1859   Daniel's rank raised to Acting Mate
15 Sep 1859   Daniel promoted to Lieutenant
21 Oct 1859   Daniel joins HMS Mars (to 27 May 1860)
24 Apr 1860 St James's Palace, London Daniel presented to Queen Victoria at a Levee, by the Duke of Somerset
24 May 1860 English Channel Daniel awaiting passage (as additional Lieutenant on HMS Wasp) for the Cape of Good Hope, where he was appointed to HMS Forte
24 May 1860 English Channel Daniel severely reprimanded, and his conduct to be reported in six months, for being twice absent without leave.
9 Jun 1860 English Channel Daniel found in the wardroom of HMS Wasp in a state of drunken torpor when he should have been standing middle watch
16 Jun 1860 Devonport, Plymouth, England Daniel faces a Court Martial aboard HMS Impregnable. He is dismissed from HMS Wasp and placed at the bottom of the list of Lieutenants for two years
1860   Daniel placed on half pay
6 Nov 1860 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's half-brother, Francis Claude Talbot Daniel born
26 Jan 1861   Daniel joins HMS Victor Emanuel
16 Mar 1861 Bristol The Bristol Mercury publishes an acknowledement of the receipt of £6 0s. 4½d in aid of the Risca Relief Fund "from the inhabitants of Burnham and Highbridge, collected by Lieut. E. St. John Daniel, R.N., V.C." [Risca Colliery in South Wales suffered a major explosion on 1st Dec 1860, with the loss of 146 men and boys]
7 Apr 1861 Grand Harbour Malta 1861 Census - Daniel (as St. J. Daniel) on HMS Liffey 
25 Jun 1861 Mediterranean Daniel placed under arrest on HMS Victor Emanuel
26 Jun 1861 Mediterranean HMS Victor Emanuel proceeds to Corfu, to join Rear Admiral Dacres, where Daniel faces a Court Martial
26 Jun 1861 Corfu At about 10pm, the Master at Arms discovers that Daniel is missing from the ship. Two men are sent ashore to effect an arrest, but they cannot find him
28 Jun 1861 Corfu Daniel is marked "Run" (a deserter)
24 July 1861   Daniel's name is removed from the Navy List
4 Sep 1861 Balmoral, Scotland Queen Victoria signs the Royal Warrant to strip Daniel of the Victoria Cross and all associated rights and privileges
16 Sep 1861 Liverpool, England Daniel aboard American clipper Donald McKay as she sets sail for Melbourne, Australia
7 Dec 1861 Melbourne, Australia Donald McKay arrives at Melbourne
1 Jan 1862 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's half-brother, Albion Edward Daniel born
Dec 1863 Clifton, Bristol Daniel's half-brother, Albion Edward Daniel dies
1862-1864 Australia Daniel possibly working in the Gold Fields around Melbourne
18 Jan 1864 Melbourne, Australia Daniel enlists as a Private in No. 5 Company, Taranaki Military Settlers
15 Feb 1864 New Plymouth, New Zealand Daniel arrives in New Zealand aboard the Gresham
8 Aug 1864 New Zealand Daniel sentenced to 168 hours intensive labour
15 Aug 1864 New Zealand Daniel released from intensive labour
30 Aug 1864 New Zealand Daniel confined
2 Sep 1864 New Zealand Daniel tried by Regimental Court Martial
13 Oct 1864 New Zealand Daniel released from confinement
29 Oct 1864   Daniel's half-sister, Muriel Fanny Cecil Stuart Daniel born
3 Oct 1866 Patea, Taranaki Daniel makes his Last Will and Testament
May 1867 New Zealand Taranaki Military Settlers are disbanded. It is recorded that Land Order 67/682 was issued for Daniel
26 Nov 1867 Patea, Taranaki Daniel enlists as a Constable in No. 2 Division, NZ Armed Constabulary
8 Feb 1868   Daniel's VC medal loaned by Admiralty to Colonel MacKenzie
4 Apr 1868 Hokitika, NZ  70 members of No. 2 Division, including Daniel, arrive at Hokitika aboard the steamer St Kilda, to quell disturbances between the Protestant and Catholic communities
21 Apr 1868 Hokitika, NZ Half of No. 2 Division's force embark for Patea, Taranaki. Daniel remains at Hokitika
16 May 1868 Hokitika, NZ Daniel admitted to Hokitika Hospital
20 May 1868 Hokitika, NZ Daniel dies at Hokitika Hospital. The cause of death is given as "delirium tremens"
21 May 1868 Hokitika, NZ Daniel is given a full military funeral. He is buried in Grave No. 851, Block 27, Hokitika cemetery
1 Aug 1868 Bristol, England News of Daniel's death is reported in the Bristol Times and Mirror
9 Jun 1869   Daniel's half-brother Arthur John Bernard Daniel born
14 Jul 1872 Frenchay, Bristol, England Death of Daniel's father, Edward Daniel
28 Aug 1873 Westbury-on Trym, Gloucestershire Marriage of Henry Beauchamp Daniel (solicitor) and Louisa Isabel Lewis
20 Dec 1873   Probate of Daniel's Will granted to Darkey Knight Jane Steward Daniel
Sep 1881 Tauranga, NZ Mr and Mrs Henry Beauchamp Daniel living in Tauranga, New Zealand
26 Nov 1907 Tauranga, NZ Death of Henry Beauchamp Daniel
15 Sep 1920 Tauranga, NZ Death of Louisa Isabel Daniel (widow of Henry Beauchamp Daniel). Louisa dies instestate
24 Jul 1971 Hokitika, NZ Article in the Hokitika Guardian referring to the "messy" state of Daniel's grave and reporting that the Hokitika-Westland Branch of the Returned Services Association are to discuss the matter
1972 Hokitika, NZ New granite memorial plaque to Daniel is erected in the Returned Services section of Hokitika Cemetery.
24 Jun 1981   Mr Norman Turnbull of South Dunedin, Otago, NZ sends a petition to Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, seeking a pardon and restoration to the Victoria Cross Registry for Edward St John Daniel
28 Sep 1981   Reply sent to Mr Turnbull from the Official Secretary, Government House, Wellington, NZ explaining why a pardon and restoration are considered inappropriate
4 Jun 2011 Clifton, Bristol Plaque commemorating Edward St John Daniel VC is unveiled at his family home, 1 Windsor Terrace, Clifton, Bristol by Daniel's grandnephew, Christopher Daniel
 





 
 
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