Download or read book Kent VCs written by Roy Ingleton and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2011-12-01 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As one might expect from a county with the motto 'Invicta' (Unconquered), Kent has produced her fair share of military heroes. Here Roy Ingleton honors 50 of those who have been awarded the nation's highest decoration for valor in the line of duty.The book is divided into sections according to the conflicts in which the awards were earned, each beginning with a concise historical overview to set the context for these acts of heroism. From the Crimea (thus some of the earliest VCs ever awarded), through to the Second World War, the entries encompass many of the most famous episodes in British military history and are drawn from all three services. Meet heroes such as Sergeant Major Wooden of the 17th Lancers and surgeon Sir James Mouat who were granted VCs for their part in the Charge of the Light Brigade (Battle of Balaclava, 1857); Captain Walter Norris Congreve who helped to save the guns at Colenso (1899); Lieutenant Philip Neame, scion of Kent's famous brewing family and the only man to win both an Olympic gold medal and a VC (Neuve Chapelle, 1914); Major James McCudden, the leading British fighter ace of WWI and probably Kent's most famous VC winner (France1917/18); Lieutenant Commander George Bradford RN (Zeebrugge Raid, 1918); Sergeant Thomas Durrant, No 1 Commando (St Nazaire, 1942) and Lance Corporal John Harman (Battle of Kohima, 1944). The nation holds a special place in its heart for winners of the Victoria Cross and this book is sure to inspire not only those who are lucky enough to call Kent home, but anyone interested in British military history.

Download or read book VCs The Sideshows written by Gerald Gliddon and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2014-08-01 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The thirteenth and final volume of the ‘VCs of the First World War’ series features the lives and careers of forty-six servicemen who won the coveted Victoria Cross in theatres of war – or ‘Sideshows’, as they became known – beyond the Western Front and Gallipoli.Opening with the stories of four VC winners who took part in the prolonged struggle to drive the German Army out of East Africa, VCs of the First World War: The Sideshows goes on to tell the stories of the two Indian Army winners of the VC defending the North-West Frontier. Finally, it covers the campaigns against the Austro–German forces in Italy; securing the oil wells in Mesopotamia (later Iraq); defending the Suez Canal and attacking the Ottoman Army in Palestine and lastly serving in Salonika in the Balkans.Each VC winner’s act of bravery is recorded here in intricate detail, together with the background of the men and their lives after the war – if they survived.

Download or read book The Victoria Cross at Sea written by John Winton and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2016-07-31 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Naval VCs have been won in places as far apart in time and distance as the Baltic in 1854 and Japan in 1945, in the trenches from the Crimea to the Western Front, in harbours from Dar es Salaam to Zeebrugge, from the Barents to the Java Sea, from New Zealand to the North Atlantic, and from China to the Channel. They have been won in battleships and trawlers, in submarines below the water and aircraft above it, on horseback and on foot.Age and rank meant nothing. Boy Cornwall was not seventeen at Jutland, and Frederick Parslow was in his sixtieth year when he earned his VC on board a horse transport ship. William Hall was the son of a freed slave; Charles Lucas, awarded the Royal Navys first VC, became a Rear Admiral. Neither were all the recipients of Britains highest gallantry decoration British, and men from Canada, Australia and New Zealand were included in those whose actions were recognised by the awarding of the VC. Yet every one of them had one thing in common uncommon valour.

Download or read book Midget Ninja Tactical Laxatives written by Philip Sidnell and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2013-01-19 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Which army used camels disguised as war elephants? Which illustrious warlord was killed by a midget ninja hidden in his latrine? How was a Japanese vessel sunk by live cows dropped by the Soviet air force? And just what kind of weapon was the Bohemian Ear Spoon? These are just a few of the important questions of military history answered in this book. Midget Ninja and Tactical Laxatives is a light-hearted look at some of the most bizarre incidents, weirdest weapons and strangest stratagems to be found in the annals of warfare. Drawn from all periods of history there is something here for every reader with an interest in military history and/or a sense of humor. Some of the sections included: War Elephants and How to Stop Them (including the infamous blazing pigs) Ignominious Deaths (e.g. the midget ninja in the latrine) A Misplaced Sense of Honor (e.g. the sniper who let George Washington live) Suicide Missions (e.g. mass suicide as a diversion tactic and a case of self-decapitation) Weird and Wonderful Weapons (such as the WW2 bat bomb -with real bats) Stranger things happen at Sea (e.g. million-ton ice ships and death by blocked toilet) God is on our side (of omens, oracles and the ancient battle stopped by a UFO) An Army Marches on its Stomach (e.g. the tactical use of laxatives and the Greek army immobilized for 3 days by hallucinogenic honey) “Entertaining, informative, and funny.” —Ben Kane, author of the bestselling Spartacus novels

Download or read book Victoria Crosses on the Western Front written by Paul Oldfield and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2022-12-29 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the past, while visiting the First World War battlefields, the author often wondered where the various Victoria Cross actions took place. He resolved to find out. In 1988, in the midst of his army career, research for this book commenced and over the years numerous sources have been consulted. Victoria Crosses on the Western Front: Battles of the Hindenburg Line - Havrincourt and Epehy is designed for the battlefield visitor as much as the armchair reader. A thorough account of each VC action is set within the wider strategic and tactical context. Detailed sketch maps show the area today, together with the battle-lines and movements of the combatants. It will allow visitors to stand upon the spot, or very close to, where each VC was won. Photographs of the battle sites richly illustrate the accounts. There is also a comprehensive biography for each recipient, covering every aspect of their lives warts and all: parents and siblings, education, civilian employment, military career, wife and children, death and burial/commemoration. A host of other information, much of it published for the first time, reveals some fascinating characters, with numerous links to many famous people and events.

Download or read book VCs Air VCs written by Peter G. Cooksley and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2014-04-07 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of more than 600 Victoria Crosses awarded to British and Empire servicemen during the First World War, nineteen were awarded to airmen of the newly formed Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. Of these, four were posthumous awards and all but one of the total were to officers. Some of these valorous airmen were from humble backgrounds and with limited education, others were collegiate men from wealthy families, but in the words of one senior officer they all had in common ‘the guts of a lion’.

Download or read book The Weekly Reporter written by and published by . This book was released on 1862 with total page 1066 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book VCs Handbook written by Gerald Gliddon and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2005-09-28 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On the Western Front during the First World War, 490 men won the British Empire's highest award for gallantry, the Victoria Cross. A companion for any visitor to the First World War battlefields in France and Flanders, this reference book lists every VC recipient from 1914 to 1918 in alphabetical order.

Download or read book Hesperidae Nymphalidae written by John Langmaid and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2023-11-27 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Each volume in the very well known series The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Irelandcontains special introductory chapters on important aspects of the study of British Lepidoptera; keys to families and species; a systematic section consisting of a full description, details of the life history, and a distribution map for each species, as well as structural drawings where nessesary. In addition, all species and significant variants are illustrated in colour. Also available in paperback (ISBN 978-09-46-58937-1).

Download or read book The Great Redan at Sebastopol written by James W. Bancroft and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2023-04-06 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On 18 June 1855, the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, British assault troops moved out of their trenches before Sebastopol in the Crimea, and attacked the formidable Russian bastion known as the Great Redan. They came under such a murderous fire from the Russian defenders that the attack faltered, and the British were eventually forced to fall back. As they did so, they left over 1,000 comrades dead and dying out in the open and at the mercy of enemy snipers. The Siege of Sebastopol saw the development of trench warfare for the first time. Using eyewitness accounts and unpublished letters, the author tells the story of how the men coped with the terrible conditions as they prepared for the assault – as well as the events during and after the fighting. Among the anecdotes is an officer who had the ingenious idea of warming up cannon balls in the camp fires and taking them into the tents at night to keep warm; and he went on to live for over a hundred years! Well-known for his depth of research, the author questions a number of points regarding the Great Redan that are commonly believed to be historical fact. Quoting the father of Alexander the Great, it was the Russians who, soon after the assault on the Great Redan, first referred to the British as, ‘An army of lions led on by donkeys’. For over 100 years it was stated in many publications that the most Victoria Crosses awarded for a single action was the eleven presented for actions during the defense of Rorke’s Drift during the Zulu War in 1879. However, as the author reveals, twenty of the lions who fought at the Great Redan received Britain’s highest gallantry award, in whole, or in part, for their actions on 18 June 1855. The book includes biographical tributes to many of the men who were killed in action, gives details of the places where they are commemorated, and provides biographies with all the up-to-date information concerning the twenty Victoria Cross recipients.

Download or read book VCs of the First World War 1914 written by Gerald Gliddon and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2012-05-30 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the opening four months of the First World War no fewer than forty-six soldiers from the British and Commonwealth armies were awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for gallantry. In a series of biographies, Gerald Gliddon examines the men and the dramatic events that led to the award of this most coveted of medals and explores the post-war experiences of those who survived. These men, ordinary soldiers from widely differing social backgrounds, acted with valour above and beyond the call of duty. Their stories and experiences offer a fresh perspective on the opening stages of the 'war to end wars'.

Download or read book The Victoria Crosses of the Crimean War written by James W. Bancroft and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2017-09-30 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Crimean War saw the introduction of the Victoria Cross, which was awarded to 111 men. Whilst the history of the Crimean War has been related many times, never before have the stories of those individuals who were awarded the VC been told. In this, the result of four decades of accumulated research, renowned historian James Bancroft describes who the men were, how they gained the Victoria Cross, and what happened to them afterwards. Great attention has been given to checking the correct spelling of the names of people and locations, burial places and new memorials, and dates of awards and promotions. The author has made every effort to contact museums and other establishments to get up-to-date information on the whereabouts of medals and their accessibility. The men recorded here displayed valor and determination resulting in many deeds of exceptional courage which became a regular occurrence in the illustrious annals of the British Army. Among them are heroes who had the guts to put themselves in mortal danger by picking up live shells that could have exploded and blown them apart at any moment, gallant troopers who took part in a cavalry charge that they knew was doomed before it began and they were about to be cut to pieces, and valiant individuals who had the audacity to sneak into unknown territory to take the conflict into the enemys back yard and risk capture and ill-treatment. This account of the fascinating lives of these heroes is accompanied with forty-five portraits.

Download or read book The Forgotten VCs written by Brian Best and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2017-10-30 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fought amid the most challenging terrain of any theater during the Second World War, the campaign in the Far East saw heroic actions against the unyielding Japanese that resulted in the awarding of more than forty Victoria Crosses greater than a fifth of all the VCs of the war.Such actions include that of Major Frank Blaker, whose battalion of the Gurkha Rifles was held up by Japanese machine-guns on 9 July 1944. After climbing for five hours up a 2,100-foot hill, Blaker crawled on his hands and knees through dense jungle alone until he was close enough to stand up and charge the strong enemy position. Though mortally wounded, he urged his men to follow and the hilltop was taken.During the famous Chindit operations, Lieutenant George Cairns was with the South Staffordshire Regiment as it attacked a Japanese position on top of Pagoda Hill. The Chindits reached the summit and, charging into the Japanese, a vicious hand-to-hand battle ensued. In the fighting a Japanese officer hacked off Cairns left arm but, astonishingly, the young Londoner then killed the enemy officer, picked up the sword with his right hand and carried on fighting. He died the next day.The Gurkhas are renowned for their courage and it is unsurprising that many of the Fourteenth Armys VCs were won by these tough Nepalese soldiers. Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung found his battalion of the 2nd Gurkha Rifles pinned down by an enemy sniper. So he stood up in the open and killed the Japanese soldier. As his battalion advanced again, it once more came under enemy fire. Bhanbhagta Gurung charged the enemy positions, taking five Japanese foxholes, one by one in the face of almost pointblank fire.The wide-ranging nature of the conflict in the Far East saw awards being granted for actions not just in Burma but also in India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaya, Borneo, New Guinea and even off the coast of Japan itself. The recipients came from across the Commonwealth, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, Great Britain, India and Nepal.These VC actions are told in great detail in The Forgotten VCs, the first book to examine in depth the Victoria Crosses of the war in the Far East. Brian Best brings to life the daring deeds of a group of courageous men in the most inhospitable of battlefield conditions, filling a glaring gap in the historiography of Britains most prestigious award for valor.

Download or read book The Law Times written by and published by . This book was released on 1867 with total page 556 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book VCs of the Second World War written by John Frayn Turner and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2004-09-19 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published for the first time in a single volume, VCs of the Second World War consolidates the accounts of the actions of every recipient. The medal of this ultimate honor is inscribed with the simple words For Valour and this cross of courage was awarded to a total of 180 men - many posthumously.As these stories of bravery are unfolded, they reveal varied exploits of incredible individual actions. And they frequently form part of larger-scale operations, whether on land, in the air, at sea or under the sea. In so doing, the book becomes a unique chronological cross-section of the crucial British and Commonwealth contribution to the war as a whole from Norway; the Battle of Britain; North Africa; the Battle of the Atlantic; the Burma campaign; the Mediterranean theater; the air assault on Germany; Normandy; to victory in Europe and the Far East.

Download or read book Kent s Military Heritage written by Dean Hollands and published by Amberley Publishing Limited. This book was released on 2020-01-15 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a fascinating insight into the people, places and events that are Kent’s Military Heritage from Roman times to the present day.

Download or read book Victoria Crosses of the Zulu and Boer Wars written by Kevin Brazier and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2022-04-06 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This complete chronological record of the Victoria Crosses awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers during the Anglo-Zulu and Boer wars is an essential work of reference for everyone with a special interest in these major conflicts in southern Africa fought at the height of the British empire. The British army was severely tested in its battles against the Zulu kingdom and the Boer states, and the 107 Victoria Crosses that were awarded testify to the intensity of the fighting and the bravery and self-sacrifice of the soldiers concerned. The book celebrates their extraordinary exploits in action at famous locations like Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift, Ladysmith, Colenso and Mafeking where, under fire, they had to draw on exceptional reserves of courage. Each entry gives the name and rank of the VC holder and the date and location of the action in which the VC was earned. The episodes themselves are described, in vivid detail. Information is also provided on the subsequent career of the VC recipients, the location of their medals and their place of burial.