Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

George Fiott Day, (20 June 1820 – 18 December 1876) was a Royal Navy officer and one of the earliest recipients of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces. He was also a

Knight of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

Naval career

George Fiott Day was born in Southampton. He joined the Royal Navy as a First Class Volunteer in 1833. His first vessel sailed to the Pacific Ocean and was wrecked off the coast of Patagonia in 1835. After serving off the west coast of Africa, in 1838 he departed for six and a half years service in the Mediterranean Sea, taking part in the bombardment of St. John d'Acre on the Syrian coast in 1840. From 1845 to 1848, he served in Africa, before departing for the

Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...

and the coast of Brazil. During the hostilities between the

Argentine Confederation The Argentine Confederation (Spanish: ''Confederación Argentina'') was the last predecessor state of modern Argentina; its name is still one of the official names of the country according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35. It was the name ...

and Buenos Aires, he patrolled the Rivers of Paraguay and the Río de la Plata. In 1854, he was sent to the Baltic Sea, and then back to the Mediterranean Fleet, and eventually to the Black Sea in 1855, where he won his Victoria Cross. He was 35 years old, and a lieutenant during the Crimean War: In 1857, Day was again off the west coast of Africa, and in late 1858 he sailed for the China Station. He was placed on the Captain's retired list in February 1867, owing to ill health. He retired with the rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Personal life

In 1858, Day married Mary Ruddell-Todd, the daughter of James Ruddell-Todd, and his wife Eliza Henrietta Campbell, daughter of Duncan Campbell, 5th of

Inverneill House Inverneill House is a country house in Argyll, western Scotland. It stands on the west shore of Loch Fyne, around south of Lochgilphead. Although the house is not listed, the walled gardens and mausoleum on the estate are protected as category B ...

. His wife's maternal grandfather was a brother of Sir James Campbell of Inverneill and a nephew of General Sir Archibald Campbell. Mrs Day was a first cousin of Emily Georgina Carter-Campbell of Possil and Willoughby Harcourt Carter. The Days were the parents of three daughters. Captain Day died at Weston-super-Mare, where he is buried.

References

External links

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Location of grave and VC medal
''(Avon)'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Day, George Fiot 1820 births 1876 deaths Military personnel from Southampton Royal Navy officers British recipients of the Victoria Cross Companions of the Order of the Bath Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War Crimean War recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Navy personnel of the Second Opium War Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Burmese War Royal Navy personnel of the Egyptian–Ottoman War (1839–1841) Recipients of the Order of the Medjidie Knights of the Legion of Honour Royal Navy captains