▁was ▁be ached ▁before ▁being ▁to wed ▁off ▁and ▁joining ▁the ▁bomb ard ment ▁of ▁Se v ast opol ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 5 5 . ▁He ▁then ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁operations ▁in ▁Sea ▁of ▁Az ov ▁and , ▁having ▁been ▁promoted ▁to ▁commander ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 5 , ▁went ▁ash ore ▁with ▁the ▁quarter master ▁and ▁a ▁se aman , ▁to ▁destroy ▁large ▁quantities ▁of ▁enemy ▁for age ▁on ▁the ▁shore . ▁After ▁a ▁difficult ▁and ▁dangerous ▁journey ▁they ▁reached ▁their ▁objective ▁– ▁a ▁magazine ▁of ▁corn ▁– ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁ign ite ▁the ▁stack s , ▁but ▁the ▁gu ards ▁were ▁alert ed ▁and ▁immediately ▁opened ▁fire ▁and ▁gave ▁ch ase . ▁The ▁men ▁had ▁difficulty ▁in ▁esc aping , ▁but ▁they ▁finally ▁reached ▁their ▁ship ▁and ▁the ▁look outs ▁later ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁for age ▁store ▁had ▁burn ed ▁to ▁the ▁ground . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁colle ague , ▁Qu arter master ▁William ▁Thomas ▁Rick ard , ▁were ▁awarded ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross . ▁His ▁c itation ▁reads : ▁ ▁Com mer ell ▁became ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁steam ▁vessel ▁HMS ▁S nake ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Fle et ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁and , ▁having ▁been ▁awarded ▁French ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Hon our , ▁ 5 th ▁class ▁on ▁ 2 ▁August ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁and ▁the ▁Turkish ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Med j id ie , ▁fifth ▁class ▁on ▁ 3 ▁April ▁ 1 8 5