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Thomas (Tommy) Ricketts ( April 15 , 1901 – February 10 , 1967 ) was a Newfoundland er and a 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. FIRST WORLD WAR Born on April 15 , 1901 in Middle Arm , White Bay , Newfoundland, Ricketts enlisted aged 15 and 4 months into the 1st Bn, Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the First World War . He was wounded in the leg at Cambrai , but soon returned to his regiment. The following deed took place October 14 , 1918 at Ledeghem , Belgium , for which Ricketts was awarded the VC.
From ''The London Gazette'' Issue 31108 January 3 , 1919 (Fourth Supplement January 6 , 1919 p.309). For this incident, Ricketts was awarded the Victoria Cross by King George V himself, and promoted to Sergeant . On the 18th January 1919 Thomas Ricketts received a message informing him that he was to be invested with the Victoria Cross by King George V on the following day, Sunday, 19th January 1919. As he was shortly due to return home to Newfoundland, the King instructed that Ricketts should proceed by train to Sandringham, the sovereign's country estate in Norfolk, where he would be invested with his Victoria Cross. The ceremony took place in the estate's York Cottage where the King, accompanied by Princess Mary and Prince George, chatted with Ricketts for ten minutes before pinning the VC on his uniform coat. He was then the youngest living recipient of the Victoria Cross, and was introduced by the King at the investiture as "the youngest VC in My army." Ricketts also received the British War Medal 1914–1920, the Victory Medal 1914–1919, 1937 GVIR Coronation Medal , 1953 EIIR Coronation Medal and France's Croix De Guerre with Golden Star. Despite many references, Thomas Ricketts was never awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal . AFTER THE WAR After the war, Ricketts studied Pharmacy, and opened a business on Water Street in St. John's . He was given a state funeral when he died in 1967 , and is commemorated by a memorial on the former site of his pharmacy. Ricketts is buried at the Anglican Cemetery , Forest Road, St. John's , Newfoundland , Canada . Ricketts' medals are kept at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa . Although Ricketts is sometimes considered a Canadian soldier, it should be borne in mind that during World War I Newfoundland was a self governing Dominion and didn't became a Province of Canada until 1949 . EXTERNAL LINKS
This page has been from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission. |
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