William J Bridges AM

b. ? 1855 St Luke’s, London.  d. ?

 

DATE OF AM ACTION: 02/01/1879 Ismid, Turkey.

 

Nothing is known of the life of Quarter Master William J Bridges, of the HMS Thunderer, except that he was born in c.1855 in St Luke’s, London, and by the age of 16, he had enlisted in the Royal Navy and had previously served on ships such as the “Naples” and the “Moorhen”. He rose through the ranks to Quarter Master. 

 

AM CITATION:

 

On the occasion of the recent explosion which took place on board the “Thunderer,” BRIDGES was at his station in the shell room. When the explosion, occurred the shell room was immediately filled with smoke and many burning fragments of clothing, &c., were blown down into it. The magazine was also filled with smoke and reported to be on fire. All lights were put out, and the cries of the wounded were distracting. The prevailing impression appears to have been that one of the filled common shells had exploded, and the men stationed in the room made their escape as speedily as possible, with the exception of BRIDGES, who, taking off his woollen comforter, wrapped it round the burning fragments, and brought them up on the flats.

BRIDGES afterwards went down again to make further search for any smouldering material that

might have found its way amongst the projectiles.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.