The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Born on April 15, 1901 at Middle Arm, Newfoundland, Thomas Ricketts was the youngest private in the Army to receive the Victoria Cross. He enlisted in the Newfoundland Regiment at the age of 15, while still a schoolboy, giving his age as 18. On Oct. 14, 1918 at Ledeghem, Belgium, Private Ricketts volunteered to go with his section commander and a Lewis gun in an attempt to out-flank an enemy battery causing casualties at point blank range. Their ammunition was exhausted when still 300 yards from the battery and the enemy began to bring up their gun teams. Private Ricketts doubled back 100 yards under the heaviest machine-gun fire, obtained ammunition and dashed back again to the Lewis gun. They then drove the enemy and gun teams into a farm and the platoon was able to advance. They captured four field guns, four machine-guns and eight prisoners and undoubtedly saved many lives. Following the war, Ricketts returned to Newfoundland, studied pharmacy and operated a drug store in St. John's for a number of years. Private Thomas Ricketts died on February 10, 1967 at St. John's. Something to Ponder: "At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them".
