Single Campaign Medals 587
The British War Medal awarded to Private W. Wickham, Royal Marine Light Infantry, who died of wounds received during the Zeebrugge Raid on 23 April 1918, and whose name would have been included in the ballot for the Victoria Cross
British War Medal 1914-20 (P.18806 Pte. W. Wickham. R.M.L.I.) minor edge knocks otherwise very fine £70-£90
William Wickham, of Nutley in Sussex ,was just 20 when he took part in the St, George’s Day 1918 raid on Zeebrugge with the 4th Battalion Royal Marine Light Infantry. He died the following day, on 24 April 1918, of wounds received during that raid. He is buried in his local Churchyard (St James the Less) in Nutley. The Admiralty’s Naval Despatch of 19 February 1919 lists Private William Wickham as one of two men of 4th Battalion R.M.L.I. who died of wounds the day following the Zeebrugge raid as a direct consequence of their participation in it.
The Zeebrugge raid of April 1918 was an attempt to close the Belgian port of Zeebrugge which was being used by the Imperial German Navy to support German U-Boats and small warships which were posing a serious threat to allied merchant and naval vessels, especially in the English Channel. Several attempts to close the ports by bombardment had failed and, as shipping losses to U-boats increased, closing the ports became a priority. The 4th Battalion Royal Marine Light infantry was raised in secrecy on 6 February 1918 in Deal, Kent to prepare solely for the Zeebrugge raid.
The plan was for the Royal Navy to sink “block ships” in the harbour entrance thus preventing shipping from leaving port. The role of the Royal Marines was to send in storming parties to attack the German gun positions on the Zeebrugge mole to prevent them from sinking the block ships before they were in position. The Marines were on board the cruiser H.M.S. Vindictive and two adapted Mersey ferry boats – designated H.M.S. Iris II and Daffodil but they were spotted when the wind changed direction and the smokescreen that had been laid down dissipated, and they came under heavy fire, suffering serious casualties. Of the 1,700 men that took part in the raid over 200 lost their lives and over 400 were wounded. Ultimately the raid was a partial success, reducing U-Boat traffic but not stopping it entirely. Nevertheless it was feted as a success at home and subsequently two Victoria Crosses were awarded to the Battalion by Ballot (clause 13), to Sergeant Norman Finch of the Royal Marine Artillery and Captain Edward Bamford of the Royal Marine Light Infantry.
588
British War Medal 1914-20 (5) (1757 Pte. G. Rhodes S. Notts Hrs.; 19735 Pte. A. Dolman. Notts. & Derby. R.; 307206 Pte. C. D. Hand. Notts. & Derby. R.; 49601 Pte. E. A. Claydon. North’n R.; 39300 Pte. J. Hammond. North’n R.) some pitting and wear to Rhodes, heavy pitting and edge knocks to Dolman (this planchet only), otherwise generally nearly very fine or better (5)
£70-£90
George Rhodes, of Gedling, Nottinghamshire, attested for the South Nottinghamshire Hussars and served with them during the Great War in Egypt from September 1915 as part of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade. The South Notts Hussars were to be based in Egypt for most of the war; however, in July 1917, they were placed under the orders of the Desert Mounted Corps under General Edmund Allenby who commanded a series of battles from 17 November until 30 December 1917 in Palestine. The ‘Battle for Jerusalem’ was an essential part of the campaign against the Ottoman Empire and culminated in the City being captured on 11 December, with Allenby’s success being described by Prime Minister Lloyd George as ‘A Christmas present for the British People’. Rhodes died of wounds received during that campaign on 30 November 1917; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.
Arthur Dolman, of Allentown, Derbyshire, attested for the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) and served with the 2/5th (Territorial) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 24 September 1915. He was killed in action on 30 November 1917 during the battle of Cambrai; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial.
Clement Douglas Hand, of Greenwich, London, attested for the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) and served with the 2/8th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front. He died of wounds on 25 September 1917, and is buried in the Brandhoek New Cemetery, Belgium.
Edward Amos Claydon, of Sketchworth, near Dullingham, Cambridgeshire, attested for the Northamptonshire Regiment and served with the 6th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front. He was killed in action on 18 September 1918 at the Battle of Epehy. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial, France.
John Hammond of Elmdon, Essex, attested for the Northamptonshire Regiment and served with the 1/4th Battalion during the Great War in the Egyptian theatre of War. He died on 2 November 1917 of wounds received during the Third Battle of Gaza in which the 1/4th played an important role, moving forward at 7.30 a.m. on 2 November and capturing both Lion Trench and Yunis Trench although on both occasions the battalion was forced to withdraw through lack of artillery support. He is buried in the Gaza War Cemetery.
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