 On 6 September
1898 at Candia, Crete, Greece, two parties of men from HMS Hazard went
to the assistance of the Customs House Garrison which was being
besieged. Later, when medical help was called for, Surgeon Maillard, who
had disembarked and reached a place of safety, went back through a
deluge of bullets in an attempt to rescue one of the seamen who was
wounded and had fallen back into the boat. He was, however, almost dead
and it was impossible for the surgeon to lift him, as the boat was
drifting. He returned to his post unhurt, but his clothes were riddled
with bullets.
William was the first and only naval medical officer to win the
Victoria Cross and later achieved the rank of Staff Surgeon. Born at
Banwell, Somerset on 10 March 1863, he died on 10 September 1903 at
Bournemouth and is buried in the Wimborne Road Cemetery. |
