, ▁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 , ▁the ▁highest ▁award ▁for ▁gall antry ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁enemy ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁awarded ▁to ▁British ▁and ▁Commonwealth ▁forces . ▁ ▁Com mer ell ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁be ▁Commander - in - Ch ief , ▁Cape ▁of ▁Good ▁Hope ▁Station , ▁Commander - in - Ch ief , ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁West ▁Ind ies ▁Station ▁and ▁then ▁Commander - in - Ch ief , ▁Commander - in - Ch ief , ▁Port sm outh . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁Conserv ative ▁politician ▁who ▁sat ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 8 8 . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁ ▁Born ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁John ▁Williams ▁Com mer ell ▁and ▁Soph ia ▁Com mer ell ▁( née ▁Bos an quet ), ▁Com mer ell ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Cl if ton ▁College ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁in ▁March ▁