Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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.