100 years ago my Grandfather was aboard HMS Romola. His diary for today reads:- Weather fair, at sea escorting oiler left harbour five o'clock. Returned to Scapa Flow 9 o'clock. Alongside oiler all night. For tomorrow it reads in part :- Voting for medals in Flotilla. Can anyone shed light on "Voting for medals" please?
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In the selection of the Men to receive the Victoria Cross Rule thirteen was not strictly adhered to. It is believed that it was the intention to award one of these awards and it is clear that only one ballot took place. The evidence being the results of the vote by the members of the 4th Battalion.
Two men were awarded the Victoria Cross in a ballot held on the 26th April at the Royal Marine Depot at Deal. The ballot contained both Officers and Men of the 4th Battalion, contravening Rule 13 of The Royal Warrant for the Victoria Cross, dated the 29th of January 1856.
The men were assembled on the Parade ground, where slips of voting paper were handed to those present. (It is not known whether the hospital wounded voted or not, but it is known that they were included in the ballot.)
The ballot results, shown below, included the names of both officers and men. The two VCs being awarded to Sergeant Norman Finch with 91 votes and Captain Edward Bamford with ?? votes. The sheet shows Bamford having 34 Votes then crossed out and adding 64 Votes. The reasons for the alterations are not explained.
On the 22nd and 23 of April 1918 a battle took place at Zeebrugge in Belgium. It was mounted by two thousand men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes.
This port was a base for German submarines, from which they attacked and sank Allied shipping. They accounted for over a third of all the tonnage sunk in World War One. Over two thousand five hundred allied ships sent to the bottom.
It was vital that this port was denied to them and this raid was to ensure that it was. Three ships were sunk across the entrance to the harbour; rendering the trapped submarines useless.
The battle was fierce and the attacking force faced fierce opposition and suffered heavy losses. Marines and Sailors landed on the Mole and stormed the enemy defences. Whilst the fighting was in progress three 'blocking' ships were scuttled; they were the HM Ships Thetis Intrepid and Iphiginia and also HM Submarine C3.
Such was the bravery during this action that it was found difficult to award honours for valour. So many men, both sailors and marines so distinguished themselves in battle. that a ballot was used to make the awards for bravery. For the Royal Marines the following men were recommended to be entered into the ballot for the Victoria Cross:.
NAMES OF BALLOTIES |
NUMBER OF VOTES |
| Lamplough |
23 |
| Finch (Sgt. RMA) |
91 |
| Dewhurst (Cpl.) |
3 |
| Jackson |
1 |
| Trim |
2 |
| Walker (C Co.) |
4 |
| Thomas (1Plt.) |
3 |
| Chater |
15 |
| Horton (12 Plbt.) |
1 |
| Holdridge (1Plt.[MG Iris]) |
3 |
| Hopewell (9 Plt.) |
4 |
| Bessant (B Co.) |
1 |
| Broadwood |
7 |
| Press (B Co.) |
2 |
| Needs |
1 |
| Warwick |
1 |
| Silltoe |
2 |
| Boxall |
14 |
| Smith (11 Plt.) |
1 |
| Pocock |
4 |
| Weller |
11 |
| Radford (C Co.) |
1 |
| Bamford (Capt.) |
64 |
| Sutton. (RMA) |
1 |
| Broom (C Co) |
1 |
| Martin C.H. |
10 |
| Thompson (MG.) |
1 |
| Bunt |
1 |
| Cook (Lt.) |
5 |
| Kingshott |
1 |
| Thatcher |
1 |
| Kelly |
1 |
The Two Marines that actually received the VC'c were Captain Bamford and Sergeant Finch | |
