Gould, Thomas William

Date of birth:: December 28th, 1914 (Dover/Kent, Great Britain)
Date of death:: December 6th, 2001 (Peterborough/Cambridgeshire, Great Britain)
Service number:: C/JX. 147945
Nationality:: British

Biography

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Victoria Cross (VC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Petty Officer
Unit:: H.M.S. Trasher (N37), Royal Navy
Awarded on:: June 9th, 1942

Citation:
"On 16th February 1942, in daylight, HM Submarine 'Thrasher' attacked and sank a heavily escorted supply ship. She was at once attacked by depth charges and was bombed by aircraft. The presence of two unexploded bombs in the gun casing was discovered when after dark the submarine surfaced and began to roll.
Lieutenant Roberts and Petty Officer Gould volunteered to remove the bombs, - which were of a type unknown to them. The danger in dealing with the second bomb was very great. To reach it they had to go through the casing which was so low that they had to lie at full length to move in it. Through this narrow space, in complete darkness, they pushed and dragged the bomb for a distance of some 20 feet until it could be lowered over the side. Every time the bomb was moved there was a loud twanging noise as of a broken spring which added nothing to their peace of mind. This deed was the more gallant as HMS Thrasher's presence was known to the enemy: she was close to the enemy coast, and in waters where his patrols were known to be active day and night. There was a very great chance, and they knew it, that the submarine might have to crash-dive while they were in the casing. Had this happened they must have been drowned."

Thomas Gould is the only Jewish recipient of Victoria Cross during the Second World War. His V.C. was, when these were sold by auction in October 1987 at Sotheby's, bought for £ 44,000,- by the Association of Jewish Ex-Serviceman.
Thomas William Gould, Peterborough Crematorium, Great Britain.