Crimean War Victoria Cross Recipient. He was born in Boulogne in France, although his parents came from Llanelli in South Wales. He was educated at Sherborne School in Dorset and entered the Royal Navy in 1842, when he joined H.M.S. Monarch. In 1850, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and served on H.M.S. Wasp off the West Coast of Africa until 1854, when the Crimean War broke out and he was sent to the Black Sea, serving in the trenches from October 1854 until September 1855. On June 18, 1855, immediately after the assault on Sebastapol, a soldier of the 57th Regiment was wounded in both legs and was sitting up and calling for help. At once, Raby, along with Henry Curtis and John Taylor left the shelter of their battery works and ran forward for seventy yards across enemy ground, through heavy gunfire. They succeeded in carrying the wounded man to safety. All three were awarded the Victoria Cross, although John Taylor died on the day after the award was gazetted. Raby and Curtis, however, were present at the first-ever Investiture of the Victoria Cross, which took place on the 26th. June 1857. Raby was the very first person to receive the Cross, although he had not been the first person to perform an action resulting in the award of the medal; that honour went to Charles Lucas, who is buried at Mereworth in Kent. Raby was, in addition, made a Companion of the Order of the Bath, and was awarded the French Legion d'Honneur, as well as the Crimean, Sardinian and Turkish medals. He went on to reach the rank of Rear-Admiral. His medal is on display at the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth, and he is buried in the North-Eastern part of the cemetery, along with his son, Captain Montague Raby.
Crimean War Victoria Cross Recipient. He was born in Boulogne in France, although his parents came from Llanelli in South Wales. He was educated at Sherborne School in Dorset and entered the Royal Navy in 1842, when he joined H.M.S. Monarch. In 1850, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and served on H.M.S. Wasp off the West Coast of Africa until 1854, when the Crimean War broke out and he was sent to the Black Sea, serving in the trenches from October 1854 until September 1855. On June 18, 1855, immediately after the assault on Sebastapol, a soldier of the 57th Regiment was wounded in both legs and was sitting up and calling for help. At once, Raby, along with Henry Curtis and John Taylor left the shelter of their battery works and ran forward for seventy yards across enemy ground, through heavy gunfire. They succeeded in carrying the wounded man to safety. All three were awarded the Victoria Cross, although John Taylor died on the day after the award was gazetted. Raby and Curtis, however, were present at the first-ever Investiture of the Victoria Cross, which took place on the 26th. June 1857. Raby was the very first person to receive the Cross, although he had not been the first person to perform an action resulting in the award of the medal; that honour went to Charles Lucas, who is buried at Mereworth in Kent. Raby was, in addition, made a Companion of the Order of the Bath, and was awarded the French Legion d'Honneur, as well as the Crimean, Sardinian and Turkish medals. He went on to reach the rank of Rear-Admiral. His medal is on display at the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth, and he is buried in the North-Eastern part of the cemetery, along with his son, Captain Montague Raby.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
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