william thomas rickard

William Thomas Rickard (VC, CGM) 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

He 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 VC. 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.