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 First VCs written by John Grehan and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2016-10-31 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Officers led and men followed; all were expected to do their duty without thought of reward. Enlisted men rarely penetrated the officer ranks and promotion owed more to money than merit. Then came the Crimean War.The incompetence and ineffectiveness of the senior officers contrasted sharply with the bravery of the lower ranks. Fuelled by the reports from the first-ever war correspondents which were read by an increasingly literate public, the mumblings of discontent rapidly grew into a national outcry. Questions were asked in Parliament, answers were demanded by the press why were the heroes of the Alma, Inkerman and the Charge of the Light Brigade not being recognised? Something had be done.That something was the introduction of an award that would be of such prestige it would be sought by all men from the private to the Field Marshal. It would be the highest possible award for valour in the face of the enemy and it bore the name of the Queen for whom the men fought.This is the story of how the first Victoria Crosses were attained in the heat of the most deadly conflict of the nineteenth century. It is also an examination of how the definition of courage, as recognised by the awarding of VCs, evolved, from saving the regimental colours at the Alma to saving a comrade in the No Mans Land before Sevastopol.
Download or read book Britain s Forgotten Fighter Ace Captain Ball VC written by Walter A. Briscoe and published by Amberley Publishing Limited. This book was released on 2014-06-15 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A wonderful combination of wartime anecdotes, personal letters and contemporary images
Download or read book VC written by Tom Nicholas and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2019-06-03 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From nineteenth-century whaling to a multitude of firms pursuing entrepreneurial finance today, venture finance reflects a deep-seated tradition in the deployment of risk capital in the United States. Tom Nicholas’s history of the venture capital industry offers a roller coaster ride through America’s ongoing pursuit of financial gain.
Download or read book VCs of the First World War Western Front 1915 written by Peter F. Batchelor and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2012-05-30 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The predictions of the war 'being over by Christmas' turned out to be far from the truth. By January 1915 the British Expeditionary Force found themselves trapped in the murderous stalemate of trench warfare. British troops had suffered badly in the early campaigns and by January 1915 were holding some 30 miles of trench. The year 1915 was to witness some of the bloodiest and bitter battles of the Great War, including the first blooding at Neuve Chapelle, the Second Battle of Ypres and the appalling failure of Loos. By the end of the summer almost 50,000 men of Kitchener's Army had been killed. This book tells the story of the 67 VC winners from this period on the Western Front. Each of their stories are different and 20 medals were awarded posthumously. However, they all have one thing in common - acts of extraordinary bravery under fire.
Download or read book The Forgotten Front written by Walter C. Ladwig III and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-09 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After a decade and a half of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, US policymakers are seeking to provide aid and advice to local governments' counterinsurgency campaigns rather than directly intervening with US forces. This strategy, and US counterinsurgency doctrine in general, fail to recognize that despite a shared aim of defeating an insurgency, the US and its local partner frequently have differing priorities with respect to the conduct of counterinsurgency operations. Without some degree of reform or policy change on the part of the insurgency-plagued government, American support will have a limited impact. Using three detailed case studies - the Hukbalahap Rebellion in the Philippines, Vietnam during the rule of Ngo Dinh Diem, and the Salvadorian Civil War - Ladwig demonstrates that providing significant amounts of aid will not generate sufficient leverage to affect a client's behaviour and policies. Instead, he argues that influence flows from pressure and tight conditions on aid rather than from boundless generosity.
Download or read book The First VCs written by Mark Ryan and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2014-07-07 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What would you do if you were struck by an enemy bullet in wartime, then realized you were still alive? For most of us, that would be the end of our fight. If we were capable of thought while we tried to cope with the pain, we'd probably hope to be rushed to hospital, so that someone could save our lives. But a hundred years ago, in the opening battle of World War I at Mons, two young men didn't react like that. Lieutenant Maurice Dease and Private Sidney Godley, born only weeks apart into sharply contrasting worlds, shared the same defiance. They didn't think of themselves and went back for more, sustaining dreadful wounds in the process. One man died, the other lived—pieced back together painstakingly by the Germans, who had taken so many casualties of their own while overrunning the British position. Together Dease and Godley became the first winners of the Victoria Cross in World War I.
Download or read book Forgotten Heroes written by Roy Dutton and published by Infodial Ltd. This book was released on 2007 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First hand accounts of the men who took part in the heroic and tragic Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava on the 25th October 1854. Previously unpublished biographies of the men and photographs bring their stories to life. What became of our heroes? Some died penniless while others found fame and fortune. Set within an unrelenting and cruel military campaign, where many would perish, unravelling the myths to find many of the missing Chargers was a massive undertaking.
Download or read book Oscar Danby V C A Tale of the Great European War written by Rowland Walker and published by Read Books Ltd. This book was released on 2017-09-15 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This vintage book contains Rowland's World War One novel, "A Tale of the Great European War". This book is part of the World War One Centenary series, which aims to create, collate and reprint new and old works of poetry, fiction, autobiography and analysis. The series forms a commemorative tribute to mark the passing of one of the world's bloodiest wars, offering new perspectives on this tragic yet fascinating period of human history. "A Tale of the Great European War" is highly recommended for fans of war fiction and would make for a worthy addition to any collection. Contents include: "The Scouts' Camp", "War is Declared", "'Schmidt'", "The Spy-Hunt", "The Escape", "Closing the Net", "A Clever Capture", "'Maxwell's Eagles'", "The Eagles in France", "A Brush with Uhlans", "The Advance Guard", "A Skirmish", "Tapping the Enemy's Wire", "The Hornet's Nest", et cetera. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on World War One in literature.
Download or read book The Forgotten War written by David Smurthwaite and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Colonel Quaritch v c written by Henry Rider Haggard and published by . This book was released on 1896 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Frederick Whirlpool VC written by Alan Leek and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-09-05 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A riveting historical mystery that sweeps four continents and fills a void in the Victoria Cross story." Frederick Whirlpool’s Victoria Cross is displayed near the entrance to the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. It was the first VC pinned to an Australian uniform, yet almost nothing was known about its enigmatic recipient. Two acts of valour during the Indian Mutiny, won him the Victoria Cross, but 17 severe sword wounds ended his career. Arriving in Victoria in 1859, he became a volunteer rifleman and school teacher. His VC was presented in Melbourne in 1861. He was an applicant to join the Victoria Police, but a corrupt recruitment process and unsolicited political interference prevented it. Repulsed by fame, he fled and hid his cross from the world. Fragments of his story were known, but since 1895, they have been tainted by error, guesswork and in one recent British work, pure fantasy. This work solves an old mystery. It reveals his true identity and early life in Ireland before joining the East India Company Army. To understand his service, the Central Indian campaign under Sir Hugh Rose, is examined in some detail, something that has not been done before. The real horrors of that campaign are revealed to show their devastating impact on this sensitive man. Rich sources reveal his anguished story. Humphrey James’ reasons for changing his identity and leaving his family forever, are unearthed. His life in Australia is revealed, showing his fall, firstly from policing and then teaching, in NSW. He undoubtedly struggled with his demons and believed that he was destined for eternal damnation. The passage of his Victoria Cross, after his death was unknown before it appeared on the market in 1927. Its movements and those of his Indian Mutiny medal with its Central India clasp, are now revealed’ This fascinating story fills huge gaps in the narrative of this ordinary man, whose life is deserving of factual interpretation. It is a story of heroism, suffering and failure, but the forgotten man will triumph in its telling. His sad life ended as a recluse in 1899, and he was buried in an unmarked grave in Windsor. The only mourner who attended his funeral left a thread, which has allowed painstaking research to uncover the true story of this sad and purposefully enigmatic hero.
Download or read book VCs of the North written by Alan Whitworth and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-10-30 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today the Victoria Cross remains the supreme British award for bravery. It takes precedence over all other awards and decorations. During its 160-year history, since the first medals were given for gallantry during the Crimean War in the 1850s, 1,357 of these medals have been won, and almost fifty of them have gone to the soldiers of Cumbria, Durham and Northumberland . Alan Whitworth, in this carefully researched and revealing account, describes in graphic detail the exploits and the lives of this elite band of heroes. Within this group of Northern VC recipients are a number of outstanding names, including Richard Annand who gained the first VC of the Second World War and Roland Bradford who was one of only four sets of brothers to have secured the VC. He also had the distinction of becoming the youngest general in the British army. But among the roll of the brave whose gallantry and self-sacrifice are celebrated in these pages the reader will find the names and extraordinary deeds of many other men who were either born or bred or lived and died in the North. They will also find the story of the youngest Victoria Cross recipient who won his award aged just nineteen. The stories of these ordinary individuals who have 'performed some signal act of valour or devotion to their country' will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in military history in general and in the long military tradition of the North of England.
Download or read book Teddy Sheean VC written by Doctor Tom Lewis and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-03-03 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No-one will ever know what made him do it. In 1942, 18-year-old Edward “Teddy” Sheean was one of the youngest and most inexperienced sailors on board the the corvette HMAS Armidale. Whilst on operation in the Timor Sea this warship came under heavy attack by Japanese aircraft. Armidale began sinking while swarmed by Japanese aircraft, strafing and bombing the stricken vessel and the crew who were desperately trying to Abandon Ship. The wounded Ordinary Seaman turned back to his gun, an Oerlikon 20mm anti-aircraft cannon and strapped himself into the harness. He began firing at the attacking Japanese aircraft, a courageous young man, determined to do his best to save his mates. This selfless act of valour helped save the lives of 49 crew, before Teddy himself went down with the Armidale. No member of the Royal Australian Navy has ever been awarded a Victoria Cross. Teddy’s family and many others took up his case and fought for his recognition. It took more than 70 years for Teddy to becomes the first in Australia’s Naval history to receive this highest award ¬– confirming Teddy Sheean is an Australian hero. Sheean is the 101st VC awarded to an Australian
Download or read book Arthur Blackburn VC written by Andrew Faulkner and published by Wakefield Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 556 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By any measure Arthur Seaforth Blackburn was one of Australia's most remarkable soldiers. This, the first Blackburn biography, details the famous battles that shaped Australia.
Download or read book Mark of the Lion the Story of Charles Upham VC Bar written by Kenneth Sandford and published by Penguin Random House New Zealand Limited. This book was released on 2003-06-05 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles Upham was the great New Zealand war hero. He was one of the few people in history to have won the Victoria Cross twice, setting new standards of personal heroism during World War II. A quietly spoken sheep farmer back home in Canterbury, at the front in Crete and North Africa he destroyed enemy machinegun posts single-handed and led a frontal assault on enemy guns. His exploits and individual heroism are the stuff of Kiwi legend. He then spent the rest of the war in prisoner-of-war camps, including the famous Colditz Castle, where he made life a misery for the German guards, constantly trying to escape. This bestselling book was first published by Hutchinson in Britain in 1962 and reprinted many times. It has become a classic. In a new Afterword written for this edition, Bruce Wallace, author of Battle of the Titans, describes Upham's life following the war until his death in 1994. Also available as an eBook
Download or read book Unrewarded Courage written by Brian Best and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2020-09-30 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A historical analysis of the courageous military acts denied the highest award from the British honours system. The Victoria Cross is the most exclusive and prestigious of all gallantry awards. In order to retain this exclusivity, the standard of courage, endeavor or sacrifice required for a recommendation to be accepted for the award of the VC must be of the highest possible order. This has meant that many extremely courageous acts have failed to be rewarded with the VC, even though they appear to be just as remarkable in the level of danger and daring as some of those which were accepted for the medal. The reason for this, is that the awarding of the VC, indeed even the acknowledgment from a commanding officer that an individual’s action merits submission to the selection board, is entirely subjective. What one general might consider to be of exceptional valor might be regarded by another senior officer as merely a soldier carrying out his duty. When Trooper Clement Roberts rode into the thick of battle in South Africa to rescue a young war reporter who had been thrown from his horse, little did he know that he was saving the life of Britain’s future wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. Recommended for the VC, Roberts was eventually awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Similarly, following the airborne operation at Arnhem in the Second World War, Captain Michael Dauncey was recommended by three other officers for the award of the Victoria Cross. These appeals, however, were rejected. The reasons behind the failure to award Lieutenant Colonel Paddy Mayne, a member of 1st SAS Regiment, the VC, despite repeated calls for his actions to be recognized in such a manner, was the subject of an Early Day Motion put before the House of Commons as recently as June 2005. In this revealing and unique analysis of actions that did not result in the award of the VC, despite recommendations to this effect, Brian Best has highlighted the uneven decisions made throughout the decades and in campaigns around the globe, that led to some men becoming national heroes and others, equally courageous, being merely footnotes in history. Praise for Unrewarded Courage “There have been plenty of books about the Victoria Cross and the men who were awarded them, but this is the first, I think, about acts of bravery and valour that apparently did not merit the award. Absolutely brilliant.” —Books Monthly (UK)
