Victoria Cross Heroes
| Victoria Cross Heroes | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Five |
| Release | 19 November – 3 December 2006 |
Victoria Cross Heroes is a three-part television UK
Production
The series was commissioned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross in 2006.
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.
Episodes
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 II to the Iraq War, including the most recent recipient, Private Johnson Beharry.
- Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski lost his life attempting to rescue his friend from a burning Avro Lancaster.
- British Army Captain John Randle lost his life taking an enemy bunker at the Battle of Kohima.
- Royal Navy mini-submarine commander Lieutenant James Magennisdestroyed an enemy cruiser.
- British Army Private Bill Speakman was wounded leading charges to hold back an advancing enemy platoon in Korea.
- Gurkha Rifles Lance Corporal Rambahadur Limbu captured enemy prisoners in a nighttime raid in Sarawak.
- Australian Army Training Team Warrant Officer Keith Payne was wounded covering the retreat of a native unit in Vietnam.
- British Parachute Regiment Lieutenant Colonel 'H'. Jones and Sergeant Ian McKay lost their lives in assaults against enemy positions during the Falklands War.
- British Army Private 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 I when over 630, nearly half of all the awards ever given, were earned.
- Maurice Dease and Private Sid Godley defended Nimy Bridge from invaders at Mons, Belgium.
- Jackie Smythcarried ammo to a captured enemy trench in France.
- Battle of Gallipoli.
- Royal Navy Commander Loftus Jones and Boy (First Class) Jack Cornwell lost their lives at the Battle of Jutland.
- Billy McFadzean sacrificed his life jumping 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.
- William Leefe-Robinson shot down a Zeppelinin an aerial battle over London.
- British Army Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrith Elstob 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
- Royal Navy Captain William Peel and Midshipman Edward St John Daniel distinguished at the Siege of Sebastopol among first recipients.
- British Army Lieutenant John Buckley defended the Red Fort during the Siege of Delhi.
- Royal Navy Able Seaman William Hall single-handedly operated the cannon that breached the walls at the Siege of Lucknow.
- British cavalry officer Evelyn Wood who had fought alongside Peel and Daniel rescued a British informer from captors in India.
- Valentine Bambrick falsely accused of stealing a colleague's medals commits suicide prior to having his own VC stripped.
- British Army Lieutenant Rorke's Drift.
- Captain Freddie Roberts, Captain Walter Congreve and Private George Ravenhill rescued field artillery at the Battle of Colenso.
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Companion book
The 2006 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.
Selected editions
- Ashcroft, Michael (6 November 2006). Victoria Cross Heroes: Men of Valour. Headline Book Publishing (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-7553-1632-8.
- Ashcroft, Michael (3 May 2007). Victoria Cross Heroes: Men of Valour. Headline Review (paperback). ISBN 978-0-7553-1633-5.
References
External links
- Victoria Cross Heroes website including clips from the series
- Victoria Cross Heroes at IMDb
