According to the records this Brother, Thomas Wilkinson is the only member of our Order who won the Victoria Cross in the Second World War and is the only member of our Order to be awarded this highest decoration, posthumously.
Thomas Wilkinson was the youngest of five sons of Captain William and Esther Wilkinson of Widnes. He was born 1st August 1898 at 96 Mersey Road, West Bank, Widnes Lancashire.
During the First World War, Wilkinson served in the Merchant Marine Service as a Quartermaster with the Blue Funnel Line on the converted troopship “Alcinous”.
When the First World War finished he found further employment the Indo China Steam Navigation Company and in 1936 was in command of S.S. Hangsang on the China coast.
The citation in the London Gazette of 13th December 1946 contains the following details : On 14th February, 1942, H.M.S. Li Wo, a patrol vessel of 1,000 tons, formerly a passenger steamer on the Yangtze River, was on passage from Singapore to Batavia. Her company consisted of eighty four officers and men, mainly survivors from H.M. ships and Army and Air Force units. Her armament was one 4-inch gun (with 13 practice shells) and two machine guns. Since leaving Singapore she had beaten off four air attacks and had suffered considerable damage. Late in the afternoon she sighted two enemy convoys, the larger being escorted by Japanese fleet units, including a heavy cruiser and some destroyers. Lieutenant Wilkinson, with the unanimous backing of his mixed company, decided to engage the convoy and to fight to the last, inflicting what damage he could. He knew that his ship faced certain destruction. In the action that followed the machine guns were used effectively, and a volunteer gun crew fought the 4-inch gun to such purpose that they hit and set on fire a Japanese transport. After a little more than an hour, H.M.S. Li Wo was critically damaged and was sinking. Lieutenant Wilkinson decided to ram the damaged transport. It is known that this ship burned throughout the night and was probably sunk. Having ordered his ship to be abandoned, Lieutenant Wilkinson himself went down with her. Lieutenant Wilkinson’s valour was equalled only by the skill with which he fought his ship. The Victoria Cross is bestowed upon him posthumously in recognition of the heroism and self sacrifice displayed not only by himself but by all who fought and died with him.
Wilkinson’s Victoria Cross was presented to his brother William on 28th January 1947 by His Majesty King George VI at Buckingham Palace. The V.C. is privately held and the Medal only is on loan to Imperial War Museum for display.
The date of initiation of Thomas Wilkinson is not known to me at the time of writing, but it is well known that his father and his 4 brothers were also members of the Order.
If you wish to read the full story please click on this link No34 Victory Cross Winners Vol 2