Medals for Valour

[Jim Gordon]

Phil

Thank you for your comprehensive reply to my comment. I had heard of the Albert Medal but really only in the vaguest sense. In the case I quoted I did contact the Regimental Museum concerned but all they had was a record of the lad as being "Killed". End of story. It is a great pity because the tombstone marking the lad's grave (a civilian type in a civilian cemetry) has been vandalised in the past few years and is now almost beyond repair and nobody seems to give a damn.

As for your comments on the comparative merits of various VCs I agree entirely.

Regards

Jim Gordon

[Paul Reed]

I'd like to see something on Lance-Corporal William Harold Coltman VC, DCM & Bar, MM & Bar, North Staffs, who got all his medals while serving as a battalion Stretcher Bearer; he never fired a shot in anger. An amazing man.

[BeppoSapone]

I'm not the biggest fan of Jeremy Clarkson, but I thought he did a pretty decent job. The 'twist' didn't work for me as I already knew that he was Cain's son-in-law. I found the bit about the daughter not knowing very difficult to believe but there's nowt so queer as folk...

It's also a bit surprising that he didn't mention that the South Staffords won two VCs at Arnhem.

I crack up every time Jeremy Clarkson appears on tv, as he was recently described by Paul O'Grady as "looking like a Pantomime Dame without the slap".

An interesting prog. despite the limitations of tv. I took the statement about the daughter not knowing that her father had won the VC to be a bit of "artistic licence" and just not believable.

I suspect that what was really said to JC by his wife was something like "Dad never told me he won a VC", rather than she didn't know.

Funny that no other Arnhem VCs were mentioned. Although I have not read of/visited Arnhem in over 20 years, I can think of at least four other Arnhem VC winners off the top of my head. They might not have rated a prog. but surely were worth a mention?

[Staffsyeoman]

Well said, Paul - I didn't nominate a 'favourite' VC to be internally consistent with my argument (all are equal) but Coltman never far from thoughts. He also served Home Guard and ACF in WW2 as a Captain - IIRC he also had a Cadet Forces LSGC.

The general record is 'most decorated soldier of WW1' - probably true?

[Paul Reed]

The 'King of No Man's Land' must come pretty close?

TRAVIS, Sgt. Richard Charles (true family name, "Dickson Cornelius SAVAGE") V.C., D.C.M., M.M., Croix de Guerre (Belgium), Twice Mentioned in Despatches. 2nd Bn. Otago Regt., N.Z.E.F. Killed in action 25th July 1918, aged 34.

Son of the late James and Frances Theresa Savage, of Otara, Opotiki, New Zealand. Known as "Prince of Scouts", and "King of No Man's Land". Also served in Egypt and Gallipoli.

The Victoria Cross was a posthumous award.

"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. During 'surprise' operations it was necessary to destroy an impassable wire block. Sgt. Travis, regardless of personal danger, volunteered for this duty. Before zero hour, in broad daylight and in close proximity to enemy posts he crawled out and successfully destroyed the block with bombs, thus enabling the attacking parties to pass through. A few minutes later a bombing party on the right of the attack was held up by two enemy machine guns, and the success of the whole operation was in danger. Perceiving this, Sgt. Travis with great gallantry and utter disregard of danger, rushed the position. An enemy officer and three men immediately rushed at him from a bend in the trench and attempted to retake the guns. These four he killed single handed, thus allowing the bombing party on which much depended to advance. The success of the operation was almost entirely due to the heroic work of this gallant N.C.O. and the vigour with which he made and used opportunities for inflicting casualties on the enemy. He was killed 24 hours later when, in a most intense bombardment prior to an enemy counter-attack, he was going from post to post encouraging the men." The D.C.M. was awaded "For conspicuous gallantry in action. He went out by himself and accounted for several enemy snipers who were firing at a working party. He has on many previous occasions done very fine work."

See:

http://www.silentcities.co.uk/cemeteryc/co...nnewbritcem.htm

[Mark Hone]

Funny that no other Arnhem VCs were mentioned. Although I have not read of/visited Arnhem in over 20 years, I can think of at least four other Arnhem VC winners off the top of my head. They might not have rated a prog. but surely were worth a mention?

QUOTE

The other four Arnhem VCs were all posthumous (as to be fair Clarkson mentioned in the programme). Grayburn (2 PARA) Queripel (10 PARA) and Lord (RAF) are buried at Arnhem-Oosterbeek. Baskeyfield (South Staffords) has no known grave and is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial. Several other people were nominated for VCs (a Glider Pilot was mentioned and interviewed on the programme). How Tony Jones (RE) and Peter Robinson (Grenadier Guards) avoided getting VCs for the capture of Nijmegen Bridge is beyond me. If I can be a little controversial (and to get back to the subject-matter of this forum) I think that they would have in the Great War.

On another matter, Trooper Christopher Finney, the valiant soldier in the Gulf who got the GC was apparently not given the VC because the incident did not involve the enemy. I'm not sure that this criterion has always been strictly applied. What about Billy MacFadzean on the first day of the Somme? Do Pals know of any other examples?