Thomas Ricketts, V. C.
(Royal Newfoundland Regiment)

Thomas (Tommy) Ricketts VC (April 15, 1901 – February 10, 1967) was a Newfoundlander and was the youngest 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, in the British Army. See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British dominion from 1907 (before which the territory had the status of a British colony to 1949 See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Victoria Cross

He was 17 years old, and a private in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment - (R NFLD R traces its origins to 1795 and since 1949 it has been a Militia or reserve unit of the Canadian Forces. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

"During the advance from Ledgehem the attack was temporarily held up by heavy hostile fire, and the platoon to which he belonged suffered severe casualties from the fire of a battery at point blank range. Private Ricketts at once volunteered to go forward with his Section Commander and a Lewis gun to attempt to outflank the battery. They advanced by short rushes while subject to severe fire from enemy machine guns. When 300 yards away, their ammunition gave out. The enemy, seeing an opportunity to get their field guns away, began to bring up their gun teams. Private Ricketts at once realized the situation. He doubled back 100 yards, procured some ammunition and dashed back to the Lewis gun, and by very accurate fire drove the enemy and their gun teams into a farm. His platoon then advanced without casualties, and captured four field guns, four machine guns and eight prisoners. A fifth field gun was subsequently intercepted by fire and captured. By his presence of mind in anticipating the enemy intention and his utter disregard for personal safety, Private Ricketts secured the further supplies of ammunition which directly resulted in these important captures and undoubtedly saved many lives. "

After the war

Thomas Ricketts memorial plaque.
(Water Street, St. John's, Newfoundland)

After the war, Ricketts studied Pharmacy, and opened a business on Water Street in St. John's. St John's (ˌseɪntˈdʒanz French Saint-Jean) is the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and located on the eastern tip 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. St John's (ˌseɪntˈdʒanz French Saint-Jean) is the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and located on the eastern tip Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Ricketts' medals are kept at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. The Canadian War Museum (CWM is Canada ’s national museum of military history Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality.

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 become a Province of Canada until 1949. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British dominion from 1907 (before which the territory had the status of a British colony to 1949 A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Tributes

A play based on the life of Thomas Ricketts, entitled "The Known Soldier", was written by Jeff Pitcher and first performed by Rising Tide Theatre in Newfoundland in 1982. It toured the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2006.

External links

• Includes letters about Ricketts and a portrait
• Burial location of Thomas Ricketts "Newfoundland"
• News item "Thomas Ricketts' Victoria Cross donated to the Canadian War Museum"
• Legion Magazine article on Thomas Ricketts
• Thomas Ricketts at Find A Grave