William Hall

This article is about the Victoria Cross recipient. For the 1829 governor of Tennessee, see William Hall (governor).

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William Hall was the first black person and first Canadian-born recipient of the Victoria Cross. Born at Horton's Bluff, Nova Scotia, April 28, 1827, as the son of a freed slave, Hall first joined the Nova Scotia merchant marines at age 17. Later, he volunteered for the Royal Navy at Liverpool, England, February 1852. When the Indian Mutiny broke out in May 1857, Hall was on HMS Shannon en route to China. She was intercepted and ordered to Calcutta (city has been renamed KolKata). A Shannon Brigade was formed of several gunners, sailors, and marines, under Captain William Peel. The ship was towed over 600 miles up the Ganges River to Allahabad. Then the force fought across country to Campbell’s headquarters at Cawnpore and were in time to take part in the relief of Lucknow, November 16 1857. It was on that day that William Hall won the Victoria Cross. When his particular battle was over only he and a Lieutenant Thomas Young remained. All the others had been killed or wounded. Hall remained with the Navy, rising to the position of Quartermaster and Petty Officer in HMS Peterel before he retired in 1876. William Hall died at Avonport, Nova Scotia, on August 25 1904.

See also

\n*Black Canadian\n*Canada Please note that the first winner of the Victoria Cross by a member of a Canadian unit was Sergeant Arthur Richardson. William Hall although a Canadian, was a member of a British unit. \nHall, William