Shannon's Naval Brigade

Captain William Peel (1824–1858), naval officer, third and favourite son of Sir Robert Peel, second baronet (1788–1850), prime minister, and his wife, Julia, née Floyd (1795–1859), daughter of Sir John Floyd, was born on 2 November 1824

On 13 September 1856 he commissioned the Shannon, a powerful 50-gun steam-frigate, for service in China. She did not sail until the following March. At Singapore she was met by the news of the Indian mutiny, and took Lord Elgin up to Hong Kong, arriving on 2 July. Admiral Sir Michael Seymour sent the Shannon back to Calcutta on July 16, with Elgin on board, together with a detachment of marines and soldiers. At Calcutta, Peel formed a naval brigade. On 14 August he left the ship with 450 men, six 24-pounder Bengal artillery guns, and two 8 inch howitzers. At Allahabad on 20 October he was reinforced by a party of 120 men, and from then on was present in all the principal operations. The coolness of his bravery was everywhere remarkable, and his formidable battery gave most efficient service: the huge guns were, under his orders, moved and worked as though they were light field pieces. On 21 January 1858 he was nominated a KCB and an aide-de-camp to the queen.

In 1858 Peel's brigade employed six naval 8 inch guns from the Shannon. Peel mounted these massive weapons, weighing 65 cwt each, on carriages locally constructed by the sailors. They provided the firepower to overcome the massive walls of Indian forts, and to keep down British casualties.

In the second relief of Lucknow on 9 March 1858 Peel was severely wounded in the thigh by a musket bullet, which was cut out from the opposite side of the leg. Still very weak, he reached Cawnpore on his way to England, and there, on 20 April, he contracted smallpox, of which he died on 27 April, aged thirty-three. He never married. His services in the field were the highlight of the Lucknow campaigns. His men achieved unparalleled feats of arms and endurance that broke the will of the enemy.

Peel was an officer distinguished alike for his bravery and his resourcefulness. He benefited from the rapid promotions provided for the son of a prime minister, although his father never actively solicited them; however, no one ever doubted that he was a worthy recipient. In creating a legendary Victorian hero, concentrating on his courage and tragic death, his hagiographers did scant justice to his professional skill and intellectual achievements. His death deprived the navy of one of its most brilliant officers; his career had only just begun.

Brigade Complement

• Captain William Peel VC
• Lieut Young RN
• Lieut Wilson RN
• Lieut Hay RN
• Lieut Salmon RN
• Capt Gray, Royal Marines
• Lieut Stirling, Royal Marines
• Liut Lind, Swedish Navy
• Rev E L Bowman
• Dr Flanagan
• Mr Comerford, Asst Paymaster
• Mr M Daniel, Midshipman
• Mr Garvey, Midshipman
• Mr E Daniel, Midshipman
• Lord Walter Kerr, Midshipman
• Lord Arthur Clinton, Midshipman
• Mr Church, Midshipman
• Mr Brown, Engineer
• Mr Bone, Engineer
• Mr Henri, Engineer
• Mr Thompson, Gunner
• Mr bryce, Carpenter
• Mr Stanto, Asst Clerk
• Mr Watson, Naval Cadet
• Mr Lascelles, Naval Cadet

450 other ranks