William Thomas Rickard

William Thomas Rickard
File:VCWilliamThomasRickard.jpg
Born	10 February 1828 Stoke Damerel, Devonport, Devon
Died	21 February 1905 (aged 77) Ryde, Isle of Wight
Buried	Town Cemetery, Ryde
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Battles/wars	Crimean War
Awards	Victoria Cross Conspicuous Gallantry Medal Légion d'honneur (France)
Other work	Chief Officer, Coast Guard

William Thomas Rickard VC, CGM (10 February 1828 – 21 February 1905) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

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 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. The three men finally reached their ship and later the look-outs reported that the fodder store had burned to the ground.

His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Isle of Wight)