On 21st November a group of Probus members journeyed down to Eastbourne for a most enjoyable Thai meal and onwards to the Devonshire Theatre for a thought provoking and informative presentation from Mark Smith of Antiques Roadshow fame on the history of the Victoria Cross. From the Crimea in 1856 to Afghanistan in 2013 1,355 members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces have been awarded the nation’s highest award.
The citation for the Victoria Cross reads… for most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy. There is no barrier of colour, creed, sex or rank. Indeed, VC recipients have come from all social backgrounds and from all over the former British Empire and Commonwealth. It was only equalled in status in 1940, when the George Cross (GC) was instituted for acts of conspicuous bravery not in the enemy’s presence.
Without notes and with his only ‘prop’ being an actual VC medal, Mark, for over an hour and a half (with a break for refreshment) led us through the daring acts of bravery of a selection of these soldiers, sailors and airmen which earned them their place in history. Only three have ever been awarded two Victoria Crosses, or more acurately VC and bar – displayed on the original medal’s ribbon, and Mark spent some time on these individuals’ stories, one from the Boer War, one from the First and one from the Second World War.
We learned that a single company of jewellers, Hancocks & Co. has been responsible for the production of every VC awarded since its inception. It had long been widely believed that all the VCs were cast in bronze from the cascabels of two cannon that were captured from the Russians at the Seige of Sevastopol. Mark explained that later examination through the use of X-ray studies of older VCs, it was determined that the metal used for almost all such medals since December 1914 is taken from antique Chinese guns – a likely explanation is that the cannon were taken as trophies during the First Opium War.
All in all a most enlightening and enjoyable evening tinged with respect and sadness was had by all.
