|
|
VCs of the First World
War - The Naval VCs by Stephen Snelling.
The Victoria Cross is a distinction which transcends
class and rank, age and reputation, and serves to honour the virtues of
leadership, selflessness and undaunted valour. It is Britains
highest military honour. Forty-two of the VCs awarded during the First
World War resulted from naval operations, widely spread in theatres as far
apart as the Atlantic and Mesopotamia, East Africa and the North
Sea. These awards were won in all manner of fighting ships, from
disguised schooner to light cruiser, from motor launch to submarine and
river steamer to battlescruiser. What unites all of the winners is a
rare defiance, an unwavering bravery against the odds. This book
tells their individual stories in gripping accounts of the actions at sea,
such as the horror of landing at V Beach at Gallipoli where hundreds of
lives were lost, yet the six VC winners fought on regardless of the great
danger they faced. Trying to recover casualties, Captain Unwin searched
for the living among the dead, amid heavy machinegun fire, while shells
were falling all around and bullets peppered his limbs. The most
famous of all naval VCs of the First World War, 16 year old boy-seaman
Jack Cornwell paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Battle of Jutland, and
provided a war weary nation with an inspiring symbol of sacrifice and
devotion to duty. One third of the recipients of the Victoria Cross
died during the action for which they were awarded the medal.
Order code NMP5397. 280 pages.
Book price £25.00.
|
|
|
For Valour, the Air VCs by Chaz Bowyer.
Since its inception in 1856, the Victoria Cross, which takes
precedence over all other awards, decorations and honours within the
British Commonwealth - has been awarded on 1,350 occasions. Of these just
51 have been conferred on airmen. Here, for the first time, are the
complete and accurate biographies of each of those men.
Though primarily regarded as a British honour, of those 51 airmen, 16
were not British born; coming from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa and Eire willingly to pledge their lives in Britains cause during
the two major world wars of this century. Courage and sacrifice have no
succinct class, race or creed; and the award of a Victoria Cross has
always exemplified that completely democratic ideal, whereby neither rank,
position, privilege of birth, or any other form of 'influence' has any
bearing on eligibility. The sole criterion for conferment of the little
bronze cross has always been unadulterated valour.
That a mere 51 men received the cross, from several millions of airmen
to see service during the past 64 years is perhaps an indication of the
rarity, and therefore illustrates the exclusiveness of that gallant
company. Of these, 25 lost their lives as a direct result of the deeds
which brought them the supreme honour; while six others were subsequently
killed in action. Of the remainder - at this time - only five are still
living.
Resulting from several decades of private research on an international
scale, and profusely illustrated, this book has undoubtedly become the
standard reference of the Air VCs. It also provides a lasting record of
their lives and astonishing courage - a permanent tribute to every airman
ever awarded a Victoria Cross.
Illustrated hardback with 548 pages.
Book serial number
NMP3411. Price £29.95
|
|
Book serial number BK5. Book price
£25
sold out
Post: UK- £6.00 (max post for multiple books
£6.00).
For Europe £8.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per
total shipment)
Rest of World £10.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee
per total shipment)
To order your copy: secure
order form |
British VCs of World War 2, A Study
of Heroism by John Laffin
No other military decoration in the world has the prestige
of the Victoria Cross and none is harder to win. It is a remarkable
paradox that the bronze VC is the plainest of all British decorations and
intrinsically the cheapest - at one time the bronze in a VC was worth a
threepence - yet among servicemen it is the most highly prized.
During the Second World War 106 members of the British armed forces
were awarded VCs. In order of service: Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal
Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve - 23; the Army - 61; the
Royal Air Force - 22. The names of many and the actions in which they won
their award became the talk of the nation: Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee
RN at the Battle of Narvik, Wing Commander Guy Gibson the Dambuster, and
Warrant Officer Peter Wright of the Coldstream Guards, whose DCM was
converted to a VC on the 'suggestion' of King George VI. It is significant
that almost half of these 106 awards were made posthumously. Put another
way, during the Second World War the chances of performing an act of
courage considered worthy of a VC and of living to receive it were 50:50.
In British VCs of World War 2 John Laffin looks at each gallant deed
that led to the award of a VC in the context of the war and the land, sea
or air campaign in which it was won. In what way did any particular
exploit affect the outcome of a larger action? Was it more difficult to
win a VC in a jungle campaign than in a desert? What made the award of a
VC for a submarine or aerial action different from those earned on the
ground or at sea - for assuredly they were different. The author answers
all of these questions and others besides.
British VCs of World War 2 is fully illustrated and includes complete
transcripts from the original citations which led to the award of the
world's most revered gallantry decoration.
|
