Whilst photographing the Masonic VC memorial I bumped into a lady who told me that Norman Augustus Finch was her Grandfather.He was awarded the VC after the Zeebrugge raid He received the award after a ballot. 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 Zebrugge Victoria Crosses Victoria Cross[edit] Finch was 27 years old, and a sergeant in the Royal Marine Artillery, Royal Marines during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 22/23 April 1918 at Zeebrugge, Belgium, Sergeant Finch was second in command of the pom-poms and Lewis gun in the foretop of HMS Vindictive. At one period Vindictive was being hit every few seconds, but Sergeant Finch and the officer in command kept up a continuous fire, until two heavy shells made direct hits on the foretop killing or disabling everyone except Sergeant Finch who was, however, severely wounded. Nevertheless, he remained in his battered and exposed position, harassing the enemy on the Mole until the foretop received another direct hit, putting the remainder of the armament completely out of action. His award was by virtue of ballot Norman Augustus Finch - Wikipedia
Norman Augustus Finch in the UK, Victoria Cross Medals, 1857-2007 Name: Norman Augustus Finch Birth Date: 26 Dec 1890 Birth Place: 42 Minevah Road, Handsworth, Birmingham Death Date: 15 Mar 1966 Death Place: St Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth, Hampshire TD Page 8586 | Supplement 30807, 19 July 1918 | London Gazette | The Gazette
Birmingham Gazette Wednesday, 24 July, 1918 SIX NEW V.C.s. Gallant deeds at Ostend and Zeebrugge THRILLING STORIES A ‘London Gazette’ supplement issued last night gives a long list of honours for services in the operations against Zeebrugge and Ostend on the night of 22-23 April. The list includes the award of the Victoria Cross to:- Commander (Acting Captain) Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter, R.N. This officer was in command of the Vindictive. He showed most conspicuous bravery, supervising the landing from the Vindictive on to the mole, and walking round the decks directing operations and encouraging the men in the most dangerous and exposed positions. Lieut. R.D. Sandford, R.N. In command of submarine C3, carried out the hazardous enterprise of steering his vessel between the piles of the viaduct where she was blown up. Lieut. Sandford disdained to use the gyro steering, which would have enabled him and his crew to abandon the submarine at a safe distance. EMBARKING THE MEN Lieut. Percy Thompson Dean, R.N.V.R. (Motor launch 282) Lieut. Dean handled his boat in a most magnificent and heroic manner when embarking the officers and men from the blockships at Zeebrugge. Three men were shot down at his side whilst he conned the ship. On clearing the entrance to the canal the steering gear broke down. He manoeuvred his boat by the engines, and avoided complete destruction by steering so close in under the mole that the guns in the batteries could not depress sufficiently to fire on the boat. Capt. Edward Bamford, D.S.O., R.M.L.I. For most conspicuous gallantry. This officer landed on the mole from the Vindictive with numbers 5, 7 and 8 platoons of the marine storming force, in the face of great difficulties. ON THE VINDICTIVE Sergt. Norman Augustus Finch, R.M.A. Sergt. Finch was second in command of the pompoms and Lewis guns in the foretop of the Vindictive. All in the top were killed or disabled except Sergt. Finch, who was, however, severely wounded; nevertheless he showed consummate bravery, remaining in his battered and exposed position. He got a Lewis gun into action, and kept up a continuous fire, harassing the enemy on the mole, until the foretop received another direct hit, the remainder of the armament being then completely put out of action. Able-Seaman Albert Edward McKenzie, O.N. On the night of the operation he landed on the mole with his machine gun in the face of great difficulties and did very good work, using his gun to the utmost advantage. He was severely wounded while working his gun in an exposed position.
The Birmingham Post, Friday, August 30, 1918 HANDSWORTH’S V.C. HERO Handsworth has decided to inaugurate a Shilling Fund and a Penny Fund, the latter for school children, in order to recognise the valour of Sergeant Norman Augustus Finch, RMA, in winning the VC. The maximum individual subscription has been limited to 10s, the contribution of children to a penny, and the subscribers to Handsworth residents and school children, with the exception of the Benson Road Council School, where the hero spent the first eight years of his school days. The presentation will take the form of an illuminated address and War Bonds, and will, if possible, be made at Victoria Park on Saturday, September 21 – Birmingham’s “Win the War” say – on which day Sergeant Finch will receive an address from the Birmingham City Council.
The Western Morning News and Mercury, Friday, October 5, 1928 ROYAL MARINE VC DEAD Well-known officer in Plymouth Division The death is reported to have taken place at Shanghai of Major Edward Bamford, VC, DSO, of the Plymouth Division, Royal Marines. This officer is well know at the local division, where he was serving until September, 1926, when he was appointed Instructor of Small Arms for HM Ships on the China Station, with headquarters at Hong Kong. Major Bamford distinguished himself during the Great War, winning, among other decorations, the DSO. His name, when a captain, particularly came to the front for his participation in the heroic raid on St George’s day, 1918, on the Pier and Mole at Zeebrugge. Like everybody else composing that heroic band, he had volunteered for the hazardous enterprise, and was singled out for a mention for leading an assault on a masked German battery. VOTED FOR VC A vote was taken among the survivors as to who should receive the several VCs to be distributed for that memorable occasion, and Capt. Bamford was of the number selected. He was also promoted to a brevet majority. With many bright prospects before him it seems lamentable that he should have been cut off in his prime, and, except in his own home, the blow is nowhere more keenly felt than at his old division. Maj. Bamford, who was born on May 28, 1887, was the son of the late Rev. Robt. Bamford, and was educated at Sherborne School. He obtained his commission as second lieutenant in the RMLI in 1905, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1906, to temporary captain on May 2, 1916, and to captain on Sept. 1, 1916. He served in the Bulwark, Magnificent, Britannia, Chester, Royal Sovereign, and Highflyer, and was present at the Battle of Jutland. FIRST ON THE MOLE Writing to the “Times” yesterday with reference to the late Major Bamford, a correspondent says: During the war the King paid a visit to Rosyth. There were strangers in the wardroom of the Queen Elizabeth, which otherwise was crowded with officers from the ships of the Grand Fleet. Zeebrugge, of which we had recently heard, came up in the conversation. “Like to see a Zeebrugge hero?” asked a lively young naval lieutenant of the strangers, and without waiting for the obvious answer he and an equally lively friend made a sudden, violent raid upon another group, dragging from it a round faced, pink cheeked, wholly boyish Marine officer. One at each side they led hime forward with the introduction, “Here you are! First on the Mole and last off.” Whether or not this was strictly accurate, it was sufficiently near the truth. But the Marine officer blushed so much, laughed so much, struggled so much, and presented so little the appearance of a hero that the strangers concluded they were being subjected to a test, not unknown in his Majesty’s ships, of their aptitude for “leg pulling.”
