George Dare Dowell
Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Colonel), Royal Marine Artillery
- Register No.
- 342 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Colonel) (register: Lieutenant) all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- Royal Marine Artillery all Royal Marine Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 13 July 1855 on this day → all of 1855 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Crimean War
- London Gazette
- 24th February, 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Born
- 15th February, 1831 at Chichester, Sussex
- Died
- 3rd August 1910 at Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand
- Memorial / grave
- grave in Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand. Tribute also in the Royal Marine Museum, Southsea
- Medal held by
- the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks,
Digest of citation
On 13th July 1855 at the Fort of Viborg, in the Gulf of Finland, when an explosion occurred in one of the cutters of HMS Arrogant, Lieutenant Dowell, who was on-board HMS Ruby, took three volunteers and went, under very heavy fire to the assistance of the cutter. He took up three of the crew, and having rescued the rest and also the Captain of the Mast *, he then towed the stricken boat out of the enemy gun range
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
DOWELL, George Dare. (reg No. 342).
Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Colonel). Royal Marine Artillery.
London Gazetted on 24th February, 1857.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hants.
Born on 15th February, 1831 at Chichester, Sussex.
Died on 3rd August 1910 at Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand.
Memorial at grave in Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand. Tribute also in the Royal Marine Museum, Southsea.
Digest of Citation reads: On 13th July 1855 at the Fort of Viborg, in the Gulf of Finland, when an explosion occurred in one of the cutters of HMS Arrogant, Lieutenant Dowell, who was on-board HMS Ruby, took three volunteers and went, under very heavy fire to the assistance of the cutter. He took up three of the crew, and having rescued the rest and also the Captain of the Mast *, he then towed the stricken boat out of the enemy gun range.
* G. Ingouville. (reg No. 615).
From the archive — contributed material
Lieutenant George Dare Dowell VC, Royal Marine Artillery (Baltic 1855) — Royal Marines Museum, Eastney
From Alf's last visit, Portsmouth, April 2005.
Lieutenant George Dare Dowell VC — portrait in the Royal Marines Museum, Eastney 
The medals of George Dare Dowell displayed at the Royal Marines Museum
The medal group
The museum's label reads: Victoria Cross; Baltic Medal 1854–55.
Images and text reproduced by courtesy of the Askin family — photographs taken by Alf Askin and family at the Royal Marines Museum, Eastney, Portsmouth, April 2005. Added 2026.
* G. Ingouville. (reg No. 615).
Southsea, Hants.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: grave in Purewa Cemetery, Auckland, New Zealand. Tribute also in the Royal Marine Museum, Southsea
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
Research this recipient further
Would you like to honour George Dare Dowell by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.