Background
Lucas was born in Druminargal House, Poyntzpass, County Armagh, on 19 February 1834.
Lucas was born in Druminargal House, Poyntzpass, County Armagh, on 19 February 1834.
An officer of the Royal Navy, he performed the earliest actions to be recognised with the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He rose to the rank of rear admiral during his time in the navy. He enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1848 at age 13, served aboard HMS Vengeance, and saw action in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852-1853 aboard the frigate Fox at Rangoon, Pegu, and Dalla.
By age 20, he had become a mate.
On 21 June 1854 in the Baltic, HMS Hecla, with two other ships, was bombarding Bomarsund, a fort in the Åland Islands off Finland. The fire was returned from the fort, and at the height of the action a live shell landed on Hecla"s upper deck, with its fuse still hissing.
All hands were ordered to fling themselves flat on the deck, but Lucas with great presence of mind ran forward and hurled the shell into the sea, where it exploded with a tremendous roar before it hit the water. Thanks to Lucas"s action no one on board was killed or seriously wounded by the shell, and accordingly he was immediately promoted to lieutenant by his commanding officer
His later career included service on Calcutta, Powerful, Cressy, Edinburgh, Liffey and Indus.
He was promoted to commander in 1862 and commanded the experimental armoured gunboat Vixen in 1867. He was promoted to captain in 1867, before retiring on 1 October 1873. He was later promoted to rear-admiral on the retired list in 1885.
The couple had three daughters together.
Lucas served for a time as Justice of the Peace for both Kent and Argyllshire, and died in Great Culverden, Kent on 7 August 1914. He is buried at Street Lawrence Church, Mereworth, Maidstone, Kent.