Gordon Charles Steele

Gordon Charles Steele

• Born 1 November 1891

• Exeter, Devon, England
  

• Died 4 January 1981 (aged 89)

• Winkleigh, Devon, England
  

• Buried All Saint's New Cemetery, Winkleigh
• Allegiance United Kingdom
• Service/branch Royal Navy
• Rank Captain
• Battles/wars

• World War I
  
• Russian Civil War
  
• World War II
  

• Awards

• Victoria Cross
  

Captain Gordon Charles Steele VC (1 November 1891 – 4 January 1981) was an English Naval officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross

Steele was 27 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Navy serving with the North Russia Relief Force when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 18 August 1919 at Kronstadt, Russia, Lieutenant Steele was second-in-command of Coastal Motor Boat 88. Steele’s boat became illuminated by an enemy searchlight. Very heavy machine gun fire followed immediately, the Captain being killed and the boat thrown off course. A British aircraft saw the problem, dived on the searchlight and put it out with gunfire. Lieutenant Steele took the wheel and steadied the boat, lifting the dead officer away from the steering and firing position, and successfully torpedoed the battleship Andrei Pervozvanny at 100 yards range. He then manoeuvred the CMB in a very confined space to get a clear shot at the other battleship Petropavlovsk before making for the safety of the bay

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