Victoria Cross Heroes
Encyclopedia
Victoria Cross Heroes is a three-part television docudrama
recipients first broadcast by Five in 2006
that tells the stories of some of the recipients of the Victoria Cross
.
It was produced in association with Lord Ashcroft
and the Ashcroft VC Collection, which is the largest collection of its kind in the world.
Former British soldier and noted military historian Richard Holmes
acted as historical advisor to the series.
to the Iraq War, including the most recent recipient, Private Johnson Beharry
.
when over 630, nearly half of all the awards ever given, were earned.
as a democratic award open to all soldiers for extreme acts of bravery to the Boer War
when it had been recognised as the most famous gallantry award in the world.
companion book to the series written Lord Ashcroft tells the stories of over 150 VC winners individuals whose medals are in his collection and those whose stories feature in the television series with each chapter covering on a different conflict.
Docudrama
In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....
recipients first broadcast by Five in 2006
2006 in television
2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television...
that tells the stories of some of the recipients of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
Production
The series was commissioned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross in 2006.It was produced in association with Lord Ashcroft
Michael Ashcroft
Michael Anthony Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft, KCMG, , is an international businessman, philanthropist and politician. He holds dual British and Belizean nationality, and is a Belonger of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Ennobled as a life peer in 2000, he sits in the House of Lords on the Conservative benches...
and the Ashcroft VC Collection, which is the largest collection of its kind in the world.
Former British soldier and noted military historian Richard Holmes
Richard Holmes (military historian)
Brigadier Edward Richard Holmes, CBE, TD, JP , known as Richard Holmes, was a British soldier and noted military historian, particularly well-known through his many television appearances...
acted as historical advisor to the series.
Episode one: The Modern Age
The Prince of Wales introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who have been awarded the Victoria Cross through the 60 years from World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to the Iraq War, including the most recent recipient, Private Johnson Beharry
Johnson Beharry
Lance Corporal Johnson Gideon Beharry VC of the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, is a British Army soldier who, on 18 March 2005, was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for valour in the British and Commonwealth armed forces, for twice saving members of...
.
- Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski lost his life attempting to rescue his friend from a burning Lancaster Bomber.
- British Army Captain Jack RandleJohn Neil RandleJohn Niel Randle VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.- Early life :...
lost his life taking an enemy machine gun nest at the Battle of KohimaBattle of KohimaThe Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in the Second World War. The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad of the East".The battle took place in...
. - Royal Navy mini-submarine commander Lieutenant Ian FraserIan Edward FraserIan Edward Fraser, VC, DSC, RD and Bar, JP , was an English diving pioneer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Fraser was born in Ealing, London and went to school...
and diver James Magennis destroyed an enemy cruiser. - British Army Private Bill SpeakmanBill SpeakmanWilliam Speakman-Pitt, VC is a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the first man to receive a VC from Queen Elizabeth II. He is one of the five living...
was wounded leading charges to hold back an advancing enemy platoon in KoreaKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. - Gurkha Rifles Lance Corporal Rambahadur LimbuRambahadur LimbuCaptain Rambahadur Limbu, VC, MVO is a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Rambahadur Limbu belongs to the Begha Clan of Limbu Nationality of Nepal. He retired with the honorary...
captured enemy prisoners in a nighttime raid in SarawakSarawakSarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. - Australian Army Training Team Warrant Officer Keith PayneKeith PayneKeith Payne VC, OAM is an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces, during the Vietnam War...
was wounded covering the retreat of a native unit in VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. - British Parachute Regiment Lieutenant Colonel 'H'. Jones and Sergeant Ian McKay lost their lives in assaults against enemy positions during the Falklands WarFalklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. - British Army Private Johnson BeharryJohnson BeharryLance Corporal Johnson Gideon Beharry VC of the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, is a British Army soldier who, on 18 March 2005, was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for valour in the British and Commonwealth armed forces, for twice saving members of...
was wounded rescuing the crew of his Warrior in two separate ambushes in Iraq.
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Episode 2: The Great War
Charles, Prince of Wales, introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who were awarded the Victoria Cross during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when over 630, nearly half of all the awards ever given, were earned.
- Royal Fusiliers Lieutenant Marurice DeaseMaurice James DeaseMaurice James Dease VC was a British Army officer during the First World War. He was one of the first British officer battle casualties of the war and the first posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross in that war....
and Private Sid Godley defended Nimy Bridge from invaders at MonsMonsMons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. - Indian ArmyIndian ArmyThe Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
Lieutenant Jackie Smyth carried ammo to a captured enemy trench in France. - Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Imperial ForceThe Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
Lance Corporal Albert JackaAlbert JackaAlbert Jacka VC, MC & Bar was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces...
single-handedly recaptured a trench at Battle of GallipoliBattle of GallipoliThe Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
. - Royal Navy Commander Loftus Jones and Boy (First Class) Jack Cornwell lost their lives at the Battle of JutlandBattle of JutlandThe Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
. - Royal Irish Rifles Private Billy McFadzean sacrificed his life falling on an accidentally dropped grenade at the Battle of the Somme.
- Medical Officer Captain Noel Chavasse awarded double VC rescuing wounded from battlefields at the Somme and Passchendaele.
- Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
fighter pilot Lieutenant William Leefe-Robinson shot down a ZeppelinZeppelinA Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
in an aerial battle over LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. - British Army Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrith ElstobWilfrith ElstobLieutenant Colonel Wilfrith Elstob VC DSO MC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
lost his life defending the Manchester Redoubt to the last man.
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Episode 3: The Empire
The Prince of Wales, introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who have were awarded the Victoria Cross during the early years from its introduction by Queen Victoria during the Crimean WarCrimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
as a democratic award open to all soldiers for extreme acts of bravery to the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
when it had been recognised as the most famous gallantry award in the world.
- Royal Navy Captain William Peel and Midshipman Edward St John DanielEdward St John DanielEdward St. John Daniel VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
distinguished at the Siege of Sebastopol among first recipients. - British Army Lieutenant William RaynorWilliam RaynorWilliam Raynor VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
and John BuckleyJohn Buckley (soldier)Major John Buckley VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
defended the Red Fort during the Siege of DelhiSiege of DelhiThe Siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian rebellion of 1857.The rebellion against the authority of the British East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass uprising by the sepoys of the units of the Army which...
. - Royal Navy Able Seaman William Hall single-handedly operated the cannon that breached the walls at the Siege of LucknowSiege of LucknowThe Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
. - British cavalry officer Evelyn Wood who had fought alongside Peel and Daniel rescued a British informer from captors in India.
- Valentine BambrickValentine BambrickValentine Bambrick VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
falsely accused of stealing a colleague’s medals commits suicide prior to having his own VC stripped. - British Army Lieuenant John Chard, Private Harry HookAlfred Henry HookAlfred Henry "Harry" Hook VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:Born in Churcham,...
and Private Fred HitchFrederick HitchFrederick Hitch, VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Hitch was 22 years old, and a private in...
defended the station at Rorke's DriftRorke's DriftThe Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...
. - Captain Harry SchofieldHarry Norton SchofieldLieutenant-Colonel Harry Norton Schofield VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Schofield was 34 years old, and a captain in the Royal...
, Lieutenant Freddie RobertsFrederick Hugh Sherston RobertsFrederick Hugh Sherston Roberts VC , son of the famous Victorian commander Field Marshal Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, was born in Umballa, India, and received the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and...
, Captain Walter Congreve and Private George RavenhillGeorge RavenhillGeorge Ravenhill VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Ravenhill is one of eight men whose VCs were involuntarily forfeited.-Military service:Ravenhill was born in Aston,...
rescued field artillery at the Battle of ColensoBattle of ColensoThe Battle of Colenso was the third and final battle fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War. It was fought between British and Boer forces from the independent South African Republic and Orange Free State in and around Colenso, Natal, South Africa on 15 December 1899.Inadequate...
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Companion book
The 20062006 in literature
The year 2006 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Literature:*Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun*Chris Adrian - The Children's Hospital *Martin Amis - House of Meetings...
companion book to the series written Lord Ashcroft tells the stories of over 150 VC winners individuals whose medals are in his collection and those whose stories feature in the television series with each chapter covering on a different conflict.
External links
- Victoria Cross Heroes includes clips from the series