A Dorset admiral received the VC for ensuring the safety of his men after an attempt to scupper his ship

Victor Crutchley was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace.

He also served with distinction during the Second World War. He died on January 24, 1986 at his home in Nettlecombe, Dorset, and was buried in St. Mary's Churchyard in nearby Powerstock.

The report in the London gazette on August 28, 1918, stated: “This officer was in 'Brilliant' in the unsuccessful attempt to block Ostend on the night of 22nd / 23rd April 1918, and at once volunteered for a further effort. Crutchley acted as 1st Lieutenant of HMS 'Vindictive' and worked with untiring energy fitting out that ship for further service.

On the night of 9th / 10th May 1918, after his commanding officer had been killed and the second in command severely wounded, Lieutenant Crutchley took command of 'Vindictive' and did his utmost by manoeuvring the engines to place that ship in an effective position. He displayed great bravery both in the 'Vindictive' and in 'ML254', which rescued the crew after the charges had been blown and the former vessel sunk between the piers of Ostend harbour, and did not himself leave the 'Vindictive' until he had made a thorough search with an electric torch for survivors under a very heavy fire.

Lieutenant Crutchley took command of 'ML254' when the commanding officer sank exhausted from his wounds, the second in command having been killed. The vessel was full of wounded and very seriously damaged by shell fire, the fore part being flooded. With indomitable energy and by dint of baling with buckets and shifting weight aft, Lieutenant Crutchley and the unwounded kept her afloat, but the leaks could not be kept under, and she was in a sinking condition, with her forecastle nearly awash when picked up by HMS 'Warwick'.

The bearing of this very gallant officer and fine seaman throughout these operations off the Belgian coast was altogether admirable and an inspiring example to all thrown in contact with him.

His grandson, also called Victor, said: “They came under heavy fire and the rudder was damaged by enemy fire so they couldn't steer it.

“My grandfather was the second junior officer and he had to take over when the captain was mortally wounded. He made sure there was no one left on deck wounded and got everyone off onto a boat and out of the harbour under heavy fire.

“They knew it was a daredevil suicide raid when they went.

“The fog lifted and the Germans saw them and they were being shot at from close range.

“He did once talk about it at dinner on VE day in 1985 when he was about 92.”

He remembers his grandfather telling - probably for the first time - about the man who died on the small boat.

One of the men bent down to pick up a Bren gun that had been left on the deck but died after he dropped the gun and it let off a shot.

Mr Crutchley said: “I think he was making the point that awful things happened and it was just luck and he wanted us to remember the people who didn't come back. My grandfather didn't like all the talk about being a hero.”