The complete Victoria Cross - errors

[AnthonyStaunton]

Has anyone read Kevin Brazier. The complete Victoria Cross: a full chronological record of all holders of Britain's highest award for gallantry, Pen & Sword Military, ISBN: 978 1 8488 4150 5 which was published this year?

I am interested in collecting errors such as the claim on page 223 that Canadian Leo Clarke who died of wounds in 1916 was the first Commonwealth recipient VC to be presented with his award in his own country (his father receiving it on his behalf). Not only were three of the four Canadian recipients from the Boer War invested in Canada, the first Commonwealth recipient to be presented with the VC in his own country occurred nearly 50 years earlier when New Zealander Charles Heaphy was presented with his award at Auckland, New Zealand in 1867.

[auchonvillerssomme]

Apart from the negative above is there anything new in this publication worth buying it for?

[AnthonyStaunton]

This review was published in the June 2010 issue of Sabretache, the journal of the Military Historical Society of Australia and is republished with permission.

Kevin Brazier. The complete Victoria Cross: a full chronological record of all holders of Britain's highest award for gallantry, Pen & Sword Military, 2010, ISBN: 978 1 8488 4150 5.

The complete Victoria Cross is the fourth comprehensive work on Victoria Cross recipients to appear since 1997. The two column format works very well for a reference work and the book has been elegantly produced by Pen & Sword. However, it is 200 pages shorter than Max Arthur's Symbol of Courage. The best of the four works is the late Dave Harvey's two volume A4 size Monuments of Courage which is brilliant but an awkward size. Being a regular user of VC reference books, I first reach for the 1997 third edition of The register of the Victoria Cross since it is alphabetical, includes a photo of each recipient, details and account of the Victoria Cross action as well as biographical information together in an individual entry. For photographs the best reference work is Dave Harvey's volumes and while Brazier has a selection of photographs in a separate section, this may be acceptable for illustrations, but having details of the VC action and biographical information in separate sections is awkward. To find a recipient in Brazier you check the index for a code to the Roll of Honour and the page number for the citation.

The complete Victoria Cross includes the recent awards to Johnson Beharry for Iraq and the posthumous award to Bryan Budd for Afghanistan. While it is pleasing and appropriate that the awards to Apiata (New Zealand) and Donaldson (Australia) are included it is disappointing that Brazier does not appreciate that these are awards of the New Zealand and Australian Honours Systems with their own regulations, recommendation and approval processes, proclaimed in the New Zealand and Australian Gazettes and are presented by their respective Governor Generals. They are not British awards and should be counted and listed separately.

One of the problems with the chronological approach to the Victoria Cross is that a small number of citations cover a period instead of a specific date. Sir John Smyth in his 1963 The Victoria Cross and Dave Harvey in Monuments of Courage both list Commander Tubby Linton RN as a 1943 award whereas Brazier lists it as a 1939 award. The citation does open with the phrase "From the outbreak of war" but in 1939 Linton was in the Far East and did not enter the Mediterranean until well into 1940. Brazier has not listed London Gazette details and Commonwealth reference material does not feature in the bibliography. However, the Journal of the Victoria Cross Society was consulted and some of that research such as listing Australian John Carroll being decorated for St Yves, Belgium, not St Ives, France, is included.

There are few footnotes and it was a surprise to read the claim that Canadian Leo Clarke who died of wounds in 1916 was the first Commonwealth recipient VC to be presented with his award in his own country (his father receiving it on his behalf). Not only were three of the four Canadian recipients from the Boer War invested in Canada, the first Commonwealth recipient to be presented with the VC in his own country occurred nearly 50 years earlier when New Zealander Charles Heaphy was presented with his award at Auckland, New Zealand in 1867.

Unfortunately, despite four comprehensive works on the Victoria Cross since 1997 none have become widely available in Australia. I am happy to recommend the complete Victoria Cross to anyone seeking the most recent of the four but you will probably have to try the Internet or eBay to obtain a copy.

[AnthonyStaunton]

Apart from the negative above is there anything new in this publication worth buying it for?

I have just posted a review I wrote for the Military Historical Society of Australia.

f you are looking for a comprehensive book on the Victoria Cross which includes the recent awards to Beharry in Iraq and Budd in Afghanistan then I would recommend the work.

[peterkennedy]

Has anyone read Kevin Brazier. The complete Victoria Cross: a full chronological record of all holders of Britain's highest award for gallantry, Pen & Sword Military, ISBN: 978 1 8488 4150 5 which was published this year?

I am interested in collecting errors such as the claim on page 223 that Canadian Leo Clarke who died of wounds in 1916 was the first Commonwealth recipient VC to be presented with his award in his own country (his father receiving it on his behalf). Not only were three of the four Canadian recipients from the Boer War invested in Canada, the first Commonwealth recipient to be presented with the VC in his own country occurred nearly 50 years earlier when New Zealander Charles Heaphy was presented with his award at Auckland, New Zealand in 1867.

Anthony,

I haven't seen the book, but a very common error - it appears in all the VC books I have and on the internet - is the birthdate of Charles Thomas Kennedy. He was awarded the VC in 1900, during the Boer War - I have undertaken a lot of research on Charles and had a short account of his life published. The date of birth always appears as 1876 when, in fact, he was born in 1873. Most books also state that he was born in Fountainbridge in Edinburgh - when it should be Jamaica Street, Edinburgh. He is usually shown as serving with the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry when he won the medal instead of the 1st .

I hope this is of use to you,

Peter

[Nigel Marshall]

Interesting to see that The Register of the Victoria Cross has a third edition from 1997. I wrote to this England to point out some of the errors I found in the second edition.

I received a response which made it clear that as the original compiler had retired, they were unlikely to issue a reprint and therefore the chances of the errors being corrected were slim. It seemed that This England had completely lost interest in the book.

Cheers,

Nigel

[Philip Wilson]

Anthony

I have yet to purchase a copy. At least the flyer for this book sets a realistic tone with the emphasis on VCs being awarded.

Over the years far to many authors on the subject of V.C.'s have fallen into the terminology trap refering to the Victoria Cross as a medal when its actually a Decoration. The damage is done, errors have arisen and often continue to be perputated because various writers over the years have not always gone back to original sources but have relied on previously published material. Likewise a little homework on their part in reading the Royal Warrants for the Victoria Cross might have corrected matters.

It could not be any clearer 'a new Naval and Military Decoration ' as per the original V.C. Warrant . The Warrant for the Award of the Victoria Cross - Special Army Order 65 of 1961 consolidated previous Warrants - clauses 3, 6,7,8,9,10,12,13, 14 and 15 all refer to the Victoria Cross as a Decoration, as does the preamble.

When I have read Brazier's book later this month I will send you my observations.

[auchonvillerssomme]

The confusion started early so they can be forgiven for perpetuating the calling of a decoration a medal I think.

For the Act of Bravery recorded in a General

Order, issued by the Commander-in-Chief in

India, of which the following is a copy :

" Head- Quarters, Allahabad,

June 29, 1858.

" GENERAL ORDER.

" The Commander-in-Chief in India directs

that the undermentioned Soldier, of the 13th

Foot, be presented, in the name of Her Most

Gracious Majesty, with a Medal of the Victoria

Cross, for valour and daring in the field,

viz.:

Private Patrick Carlin,

No. 3611, of the 13th Foot,

for rescuing, on the 6th of April, 1858, a

wounded Naick of the 4th Madras Rifles, in

the field of battle, after killing, with the

Naick's sword, a mutineer sepoy, who fired at

him whilst bearing off his wounded comrade

on his shoulders.

(Signed) C. CAMPBELL, General,

Commander-in-Chief, East Indies.'

For the Act of Bravery recorded in a General

Ordor, issued by the Commander-in-Chief in

India, of which the following is a copy :

" Head-Quarters, Allahabad,

July 28, 1858.

lt GENERAL ORDER,

" The Commander-in-Chief in India is pleased

to approve that the undermentioned Soldier

be presented, in the name of Her Most

Gracious Majesty, with a Medal of the Victoria

Cross, for valour and daring in the

field, viz. :

Private Patrick Green,

Her Majesty's 75th Foot,

for having, on the llth of September, 1857,

when the picquet at the Koodsia Baugh at

Delhi was hotly pressed by a large body of

the Enemy, successfully rescued a comrade,

who had fallen wounded as a skirmisher.

(Signed) C. CAMPBELL, General,

Commander-in-Chief, East Indies."

[Philip Wilson]

Yes a very nice example. There are those in more recent times who believe the Victoria Cross is for bravery . Clause 3 stipulates shall only be awarded for most conspicous bravery, or some daring, or pre-eminant act of valour, or self -sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the prescence of the enemy.

The Military Medal is inscribed 'For Bravery in the Field.' The Victoria Cross is inscribed 'For Valour' . A subtle difference.

Queen Victoria made it clear when returning the original V.C. drawings on 5 January 1856 that 'the motto would be far better "For Valour" than "For the Brave" as this would lead to the inference that only those who are deemed brave have got the Cross.' See Letters of Queen Victoria, iii p203 and Panmure Papers, ii p50.

[AnthonyStaunton]

a very common error - it appears in all the VC books I have and on the internet - is the birthdate of Charles Thomas Kennedy. He was awarded the VC in 1900, during the Boer War - I have undertaken a lot of research on Charles and had a short account of his life published. The date of birth always appears as 1876 when, in fact, he was born in 1873. Most books also state that he was born in Fountainbridge in Edinburgh - when it should be Jamaica Street, Edinburgh. He is usually shown as serving with the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry when he won the medal instead of the 1st .

Peter

Thanks. The book says aged 24 in 1900 but does not include place of birth.

It states 2nd Bn HLI which is what the London Gazette states.

I was unaware he was with the 1st Bn HLI in South Africa.

Anthony

[AnthonyStaunton]

Interesting to see that The Register of the Victoria Cross has a third edition from 1997. I wrote to this England to point out some of the errors I found in the second edition.

I received a response which made it clear that as the original compiler had retired, they were unlikely to issue a reprint and therefore the chances of the errors being corrected were slim. It seemed that This England had completely lost interest in the book.

Nigel

The 1997 edition is the best and easiest comprehensive VC reference work to use.

The compiler and researcher for all three editions was Mrs Nora Buzzell.

Anthony

[peterkennedy]

Peter

Thanks. The book says aged 24 in 1900 but does not include place of birth.

It states 2nd Bn HLI which is what the London Gazette states.

I was unaware he was with the 1st Bn HLI in South Africa.

Anthony

Anthony,

He was serving with "A" Company of the 1st Battalion, in Dewetsdorp, when he earned the VC, and had been transferred to the 2nd Battalion, due to wounds, when he came to receive it from the King. As far as I am aware the 2nd Battalion never saw action in the Second Boer War. Nothing to do with the Great War, of course, but still very interesting.

Peter.

[auchonvillerssomme]

Nigel

The 1997 edition is the best and easiest comprehensive VC reference work to use.

The compiler and researcher for all three editions was Mrs Nora Buzzell.

Anthony

I would agree that the 1997 This England publication is the most useful starting point for any researcher, I contributed to this edition and it is is still my first port of call.

Mick

[Nigel Marshall]

Have any of the errors crept through to the third edition?

It must be more than 20 years since my correspondance with This England about the errors I had noticed. I can't remember them individually but I'd be disappointed if the ones I had brought to their attention had been transferred on up the line.

Cheers,

Nigel

[AnthonyStaunton]

Have any of the errors crept through to the third edition? It must be more than 20 years since my correspondance with This England about the errors I had noticed. I can't remember them individually but I'd be disappointed if the ones I had brought to their attention had been transferred on up the line.

Errors in the earlier editions were corrected in later editions. In the first edition the remark that Lt Col V B Turner was the only VC of El Alamein were deleted from subsequent editions. However, all three editions continue to state that Kibby and Gratwick were awarded the VC in Libya! Since June 1943, most British VC works state Western Desert but those that identify the country have stated Libya with the exception of C E Lucas Phillips in "VC battles of the Second World War", Dave Harvey in "Monuments to courage" and now Kevin Brazier in "The complete VC". My other favourite error is that John (Jack) Carroll who is listed in British works as receiving his award for St Yves, France in the 1917 Messines offensive. The place was gazetted as St Ives and corrected in 1920s but the word never got to Australia. So in the 1963 first edition of "They dared mightily", St Ives France is listed. It was updated to St Yves, Belgium in the 1986 second edition and Kevin Brazier in "The complete VC" is the first British author to list Belgium. He used the "Journal of the Victoria Cross Society" in his research and obviously came across my article on Jack Carroll. However, New Zealand Corporal Leslie Andrew is still listed as La Bassee Ville, France for his award at La Basse Ville, Belgium on 31 July 1917.

[AnthonyStaunton]

He was serving with "A" Company of the 1st Battalion, in Dewetsdorp, when he earned the VC, and had been transferred to the 2nd Battalion, due to wounds, when he came to receive it from the King. As far as I am aware the 2nd Battalion never saw action in the Second Boer War. Nothing to do with the Great War, of course, but still very interesting.

Thank you for the details.

Interesting that it took nearly 12 months for the award to be gazetted.

[Nigel Marshall]

Some of the errors I noticed are being remembered.

One that has come back to me is the statement that Lt Col Harry Daniels VC MC, late of the Rifle Brigade is buried at Lawnswood Cemetery in Leeds. He isn't. He was cremated there and his ashes were strewn at Aldershot Officers' Cricket Club.

I seem to remember that Albert Mountain VC is also said to be buried at Lawnswood. Again, he was another cremation, and his kerbside memorial plaque was removed after being damaged by grounds keepers' machinery and not replaced as it was outside of the contracted maintenance period.

Philip Hirsch VC is almost universally stated as having lived at Westwood Grove in Leeds. Not so, the address was Weetwood Grove, West Park, Leeds. This last error is gradually being corrected, CWGC lists the address correctly, as does Wikipedia.

I have to say though, errors excused, the Register of the VC (2nd Edition) has been a staple on my shelves for probably a quarter of a century. I invested in Monuments to Courage when it appeared because I found the enthusiasm and dedication of Dave Harvey breathtaking. I found his strength of character to be inspiring and like many others, I am sure, I always felt humbled when a letter would arrive from him which began something like 'I'm sorry I haven't written sooner, but I'm in hospital again..........'

Just as an aside. I had borrowed the first edition of the The Register of the VC from my village library and it made me decide to buy a copy. I searched and couldn't find it anwywhere.

The first copy I found was in the shop at Delville Wood! 190 Francs and worth every centime.

Cheers,

Nigel

[auchonvillerssomme]

I must confess one of my most embarrasing situations was when I was asked by the local Air Cadets to research any memorials or the grave site of Insall, I couldn't find anything at all and even went as far as writing to all of these publications to see if they had any extra information, they didn't. So the ATC took on a project of funding and erecting a memorial to him in Doncaster. Even had a flypast and invited his relatives.

I think it was his nephew who quietly mentioned to me he had a stone in a cemetery, the name of which escapes me. But it was a good day and another memorial erected to a hero.

Mick