Blue plaque to mark birthplace of WWII VC hero
A PLAQUE commemorating a Widnes sailor posthumously awarded Britain’s highest military award for gallantry has been produced.
Acting Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson was born in West Bank in 1898 and served in the Royal Naval Reserve during the Second World War.
He was commanding officer of HMS Li Wo, a patrol vessel armed with machine guns and a four-inch gun, en route from Singapore to Batavia in the Dutch East Indies in February 1942.
After leaving Singapore, the vessel was attacked by Japanese planes before sighting two enemy convoys, one of which was escorted by Japanese naval units including a heavy cruiser and destroyers.
A report in the London Gazette from December 1946 said Act Lt Wilkinson decided to engage the enemy, which drew ‘resolute support from the whole ship’s company’ and that the Widnes seaman ‘knew that his ship faced certain destruction’.
After the Li Wo’s battle ensign was hoisted, it hit and set on fire a Japanese transport ship before being ‘critically damaged’.
The report said Act Lt Wilkinson decided to ram a large transport and ordered his crew to abandon ship while under fire from the Japanese cruiser.
It added: “He remained on board and went down with her.
“There were only 10 survivors, later made prisoners of war.
“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 both of his own heroism and self-sacrifice, and of all who fought and died with him.” A blue plaque is due to be placed on his birthplace on Mersey Road in West Bank, though no date has yet been confirmed. It was commissioned following an appeal for a statue for another Widnes Victoria Cross recipient – Sergeant Thomas Mottershead of the Royal Flying Corps. The statue was placed in Victoria Park and is due to be officially unveiled at the start of April.
Appeal founder and secretary Tony Miller said a launch for a statue plea to Act Lt Wilkinson is being organised, as well as unveiling both the plaque and Sgt Mottershead’s tribute.
He said: “We have so much to do with so little time to do it.
“We hope the people of Halton will come to see the Mottershead statue unveiling on Easter Sunday, and of course support the Tom Wilkinson VC statue appeal.”
Sgt Mottershead’s plane was set ablaze by German fire over the Western Front in January 1917.
But the airman – who was born at 6 Vine Street – landed his aircraft and saved the life of his observer, later dying from the injuries he suffered and was buried at Bailleul in France. ●