Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The Crimean War 1853-1856, Crimean Peninsular.

Although many perished in times of national conflict and in the service of their country, many more survived including those interned as Prisoners of War. Stories of those who did survive are included as part of this site, especially those with high gallantry awards, those included against an external rolls of honour and those who had a distinguished career in wartime and military leaderhip.

Detail :

See more at: VC Online.

His citation is recorded in the London Gazette 24th February, 1857 Supplement " When commanding the ' Weser,' in the Sea of Azoff, crossed the Isthmus of Arabat, and destroyed large quantities of forage on the Crimean shore of the Sivash." This enterprise was performed by Commander Commerell, at night, accompanied by William Rickard, Quartermaster, and George Milestone, A.B. Having hauled their small boat across the Spit of Arabat, they traversed the Sivash to the Crimean shore of the Putrid Sea. The magazine of corn, of which they were in search, lay about two miles and a-half off, and to reach it they had to ford two rivers, the Kara-su and the Salghir. The forage and corn, amounting to 400 tons, were stacked on the banks of the latter river, in the vicinity of a guard-house, and close to from twenty to thirty mounted Cossacks, who were encamped in the neighbouring village. Commander Commereil and his two companions contrived to ignite the stacks, the rapid blazing of which alarmed the guard, who pursued them to the shore with a heavy fire of musketry, and very nearly succeeded in taking them prisoners. (Despatch from Admiral Lord Lyons, 6th November, 1855, No. 899.)

Masonic :

John Commerrell's lodge and masonic history is not yet fully discovered. In Philip May's book, Beyond the Five Points, the only evidence which can be found that he was a Freemason is recorded in Masonic News 26th January, 1901, which says that "HRH The Prince of Wales presides at a dinner given on Thursday evening to Bro Earl Roberts V.C., by members of the United Service Club...at the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropole... V.C.s present, included ... Sir Redvers Buller ... and Bro. Sir E. Commerell."

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley