William Thomas Rickard VC

Name: William Thomas Rickard

Conflict: Crimean War

Gazetted: February 24, 1857

Service: Royal Navy

Place/date of birth: Stoke Damerel, near Plymouth, Devon/February 10, 1828

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Quartermaster (later Chief Officer of Coastguards)

Date of bravery: October 11, 1855

London Gazette citation:

William Rickard, Quartermaster.

“Accompanied his Commander, Lieutenant Commerell, of the ‘Weser,’ to the Crimean shore of the Sivash, and, whilst under a heavy fire of musketry, remained to assist George Milestone, who had fallen.”

(Despatch from Admiral Lord Lyons, 6th November, 1855, No. 899).

The service performed by William Rickard is thus described by Commander Commerell, in his despatch :— ”I must bring to your notice the excellent conduct of the small party who accompanied me, more especially that of William Rickard, Quartermaster, who, though much fatigued himself, remained to assist the other seaman, who, from exhaustion, had fallen in the mud, and was unable to extricate himself, notwithstanding the enemy were keeping up a heavy fire on us, at the distance of thirty or forty yards, as we crossed the mud.”

Click here to see full Gazette entry.

Other decorations: CGM

Place/date of death: Ryde, Isle of Wight/February 21, 1905

Grave/memorials: Ryde Cemetery, Isle of Wight

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Sotheby’s, London, 1992

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum