Arthur Frederick Pickard

Arthur Frederick Pickard

Lieutenant Pickard's VC citation at the Royal Artillery Museum, London
Born 12 April 1844
Northamptonshire, England
Died 1 March 1880
Cannes, France
Buried at Cimitiere Protestant du Grand Jus, Cannes
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Rank Colonel
Unit Royal Artillery
Battles/wars Invasion of Waikato
Awards Victoria Cross
Order of the Bath
Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russia)
Order of Leopold (Austria)

Colonel Arthur Frederick Pickard VC CB (12 April 1844 – 1 March 1880) was an English 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.

Details

Pickard was 19 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, British Army during the Invasion of Waikato (one of the campaigns in the New Zealand Wars), when the following deed took place on 20 November 1863 at Rangiriri, New Zealand for which he and Assistant Surgeon William Temple were awarded the VC:

For gallant conduct during the assault on the enemy's position at Rangiriri, in New Zealand, on the 20th of November last, in exposing their lives to imminent danger, in crossing the entrance of the Maori keep, at a point upon which the enemy had concentrated their fire, with a view to render assistance to the wounded, and, more especially to the late Captain Mercer, of the Royal Artillery.

Lieutenant Pickard, it is stated, crossed, and re-crossed the parapet, to procure water for the wounded, when none of the men could be induced to perform this service, the space over which he traversed being exposed to a crossfire; and testimony is borne to the calmness displayed by him, and Assistant-Surgeon Temple, under the trying circumstances in which they were placed.[1]

He later achieved the rank of colonel.

The Medal

His VC is on display at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in the Imperial War Museum in London.[2]

References

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 22896. p. 4552. 23 September 1864. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  2. ↑ "Lord Ashcroft VC Collection". Retrieved January 15, 2013.

External links

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