The Victoria Cross Trust has recently inspected the grave of Thomas Wilkinson VC, who became a Bombardier in the Royal Marine Artillery, just prior to the outbreak of the Crimean War. On 7th June 1855, he was under constant heavy fire at Sebastopol but continued to place sandbags on the batteries to replace the damaged bags.
He was one of the first 62 men to be decorated with the Victoria Cross medal at Hyde Park by Queen Victoria later that year. After his military career he returned to his home town of York where he became the manager of Rymer’s Sand Yard. Thomas Wilkinson VC is laid to rest in a very large but peaceful cemetery near the centre of York. His headstone would benefit from some restoration and the VCT are hoping to clean his grave in the near future.
