The Tank Museum is launching an appeal to find a photograph of Private Samuel Hickman.
Samuel first enlisted with the 10th West Yorkshire Regiment but was discharged in February 1915 as he was deemed ‘not likely to become an efficient soldier.’ He soon proved that statement wrong. Just five months later he re-enlisted with the Worcestershire Regiment, before transferring to the Tank Corps in 1918.
It was with the 13th Battalion Tank Corps that Samuel was awarded the Military Medal for his ‘exceptional courage and coolness’ during action in Pontruet, France on 24th September 1918.
‘Private Hickman acted as a gunner of a tank in action and, although wounded and slightly gassed, he refused to be relieved and kept his gun in action, inflicting severe casualties upon the enemy.
Later, when the tank received a direct hit which blew away a portion of the petrol piping, although heavy artillery and machine-gun fire was concentrated on the tank, Private Hickman, with another man, volunteered to get out and fill the petrol tin from the petrol tank by means of a hand pump. This gallant act enabled the tank commander to get the tank back to the rallying point.’ Military Medal citation
Samuel was demobilised in March 1919, and he returned to his home at 4 Frances Road in Cotteridge, Birmingham. He died on the 3rd January 1970 in Birmingham at the age of 73. His medals were donated to the Museum in 1975.
If you can help us tell Samuel’s story, please contact archive@tankmuseum.org
