William Thomas Rickard, VC,CGM (10 February 1828 – 21 February 1905) was a British sailor and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Rickard was 27 years old, and a quartermaster in the Royal Navy during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
On 11 October 1855 in the Sea of Azov, Crimea, Quartermaster Rickard went with the commander (John Edmund Commerell) of HMS Weser and a seaman George Milestone to destroy large quantities of forage on the shore of the Sivash. After a difficult and dangerous journey they reached their objective—the magazine of corn—and managed to ignite the stacks, but the guards were alerted and immediately opened fire and gave chase. The pursuit was so hot that the seaman, through fatigue, fell into the mud and could not extricate himself. Rickard, however, although he was himself exhausted, went back and assisted him, even though the enemy were keeping up a heavy fire at the distance of thirty or forty yards, as they crossed the mud. The three men finally reached their ship and later the look-outs reported that the fodder store had burned to the ground.[1]
Commander Commerell was also awarded the VC. Rickard's VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.
Later life and familyedit
After retiring from the navy, Rickard joined the Coastguard as boatman, Chief Boatman and latterly as Chief Officer of Coast Guards, retiring sometime in the 1870s.[2]
In June 1860, Richard married Rebecca Whitingham of Kingsbridge, and they had four sons and two daughters. In retirement Rickard was boatman to the Ryde Rowing Club in the Isle of Wight and he and his family lived at Arethusa Cottage, Smallbrook, Ryde, named after the frigate HMS Arethusa on which he first served in the Crimean conflict. He died on 21 February 1905 and is buried in Ryde cemetery.[3][4]
^Winton, John Winton (2016). The Victoria Cross at Sea: The Sailors, Marines and Naval Airmen awarded Britain s Highest Honour. Frontline Books. p. 45. ISBN978-1473876125.
^"Quartermaster William Thomas Rickard VC". Historic Ryde Society. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
^"Mr William Thomas Rickard". Ryde Social Heritage Group. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
External linksedit
(Isle of Wight)
April 17, 2024
william, thomas, rickard, february, 1828, february, 1905, british, sailor, recipient, victoria, cross, highest, award, gallantry, face, enemy, that, awarded, british, commonwealth, forces, born, 1828, february, 1828stoke, damerel, devonport, devondied21, febru. William Thomas Rickard VC CGM 10 February 1828 21 February 1905 was a British sailor and a recipient of the Victoria Cross the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces William Thomas RickardBorn 1828 02 10 10 February 1828Stoke Damerel Devonport DevonDied21 February 1905 1905 02 21 aged 77 Ryde Isle of WightBuriedTown Cemetery RydeAllegianceUnited KingdomService wbr branchRoyal NavyBattles warsCrimean WarAwardsVictoria CrossConspicuous Gallantry MedalKnight of the Legion of Honour France Other workChief Officer Her Majesty s Coastguard Contents 1 Early life and Royal Navy 2 Later life and family 3 References 4 External linksEarly life and Royal Navy editWilliam Thomas Rickard was born at Stoke Damerel Devonport on 10 February 1828 and at an early age joined the Royal Navy Rickard was 27 years old and a quartermaster in the Royal Navy during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross On 11 October 1855 in the Sea of Azov Crimea Quartermaster Rickard went with the commander John Edmund Commerell of HMS Weser and a seaman George Milestone to destroy large quantities of forage on the shore of the Sivash After a difficult and dangerous journey they reached their objective the magazine of corn and managed to ignite the stacks but the guards were alerted and immediately opened fire and gave chase The pursuit was so hot that the seaman through fatigue fell into the mud and could not extricate himself Rickard however although he was himself exhausted went back and assisted him even though the enemy were keeping up a heavy fire at the distance of thirty or forty yards as they crossed the mud The three men finally reached their ship and later the look outs reported that the fodder store had burned to the ground 1 Commander Commerell was also awarded the VC Rickard s VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum London Later life and family editAfter retiring from the navy Rickard joined the Coastguard as boatman Chief Boatman and latterly as Chief Officer of Coast Guards retiring sometime in the 1870s 2 In June 1860 Richard married Rebecca Whitingham of Kingsbridge and they had four sons and two daughters In retirement Rickard was boatman to the Ryde Rowing Club in the Isle of Wight and he and his family lived at Arethusa Cottage Smallbrook Ryde named after the frigate HMS Arethusa on which he first served in the Crimean conflict He died on 21 February 1905 and is buried in Ryde cemetery 3 4 References edit No 21971 The London Gazette 24 February 1857 p 651 Winton John Winton 2016 The Victoria Cross at Sea The Sailors Marines and Naval Airmen awarded Britain s Highest Honour Frontline Books p 45 ISBN 978 1473876125 Quartermaster William Thomas Rickard VC Historic Ryde Society Retrieved 4 January 2017 Mr William Thomas Rickard Ryde Social Heritage Group Retrieved 4 January 2017 External links editLocation of grave and VC medal Isle of Wight Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Thomas Rickard amp oldid 1171655511, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
