The Book of the V.C. A. L. Haydon
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A. L. Haydon
The Book of the V.C
A record of the deeds of heroism for which the Victoria Cross has been bestowed, from its institution in 1857 to the present time
Published by Good Press, 2019
EAN 4064066215491
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I. THE ORIGIN OF THE VICTORIA CROSS AND THE FIRST PRESENTATION.
CHAPTER II. THE CRIMEA.—THE BATTLE OF THE ALMA.
CHAPTER III. THE CRIMEA.—IN THE BALACLAVA CHARGES.
CHAPTER IV. THE CRIMEA.—THE HEROES OF INKERMAN.
CHAPTER V. THE CRIMEA.—WITH THE SAPPERS AND MINERS.—IN TRENCH AND RIFLE-PIT.
CHAPTER VI. THE CRIMEAN CROSSES OF THE NAVY.
CHAPTER VII. PERSIA.—HOW THE SQUARE WAS BROKEN.
CHAPTER VIII. INDIA.—THE GALLANT NINE AT DELHI.
CHAPTER IX. INDIA.—WITH SABRE AND GUN AGAINST SEPOY.
CHAPTER X. INDIA.—THE BLOWING UP OF THE CASHMERE GATE.
CHAPTER XI. INDIA.—THE STORY OF KOLAPORE KERR.
CHAPTER XII. INDIA.—THE DEFENCE OF THE DHOOLIES.
CHAPTER XIII. INDIA.—THREE BRAVE CIVILIANS: MANGLES, MCDONELL, AND “LUCKNOW” KAVANAGH.
CHAPTER XIV. INDIA.—SOME OTHER CROSSES OF THE MUTINY.
CHAPTER XV. IN THE SIXTIES.—CHINA, JAPAN, INDIA, WEST AFRICA, AND CANADA.
CHAPTER XVI. NEW ZEALAND.—FIGHTING THE MAORIS.
CHAPTER XVII IN ASHANTI BUSH AND MALAY JUNGLE.
CHAPTER XVIII. HOW SOME AFGHAN CROSSES WERE WON.
CHAPTER XIX. MAIWAND.—A GUNNER’S STORY.
CHAPTER XX. ZULULAND.—THE DASH WITH THE COLOURS FROM ISANDHLANA.
CHAPTER XXI. ZULULAND.—HOW THEY HELD THE POST AT RORKE’S DRIFT.
CHAPTER XXII. SOME OTHER ZULU AND SOME BASUTO CROSSES.
CHAPTER XXIII. SOUTH AFRICA.—AGAINST BOERS AND MATABELE.
CHAPTER XXIV. IN EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.
CHAPTER XXV. V.C. HEROES OF THE INDIAN FRONTIER.
CHAPTER XXVI. HOW SURGEON-CAPTAIN WHITCHURCH WON FAME.
CHAPTER XXVII. WHEN THE AFRIDIS WERE UP.
CHAPTER XXVIII. SOUTH AFRICA.—THE V.C.’S OF THE SECOND BOER WAR.
CHAPTER XXIX. SOMALILAND—NIGERIA—TIBET.
APPENDIX B. THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF THE V.C.
APPENDIX C. WARS AND CAMPAIGNS IN WHICH THE VICTORIA CROSS HAS BEEN WON, FROM 1854 TO 1904.
APPENDIX D. COMPLETE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RECIPIENTS OF THE V.C.
PREFACE
The celebration this year of the Jubilee of the Victoria Cross may be offered as sufficient excuse for the appearance of this volume. Such a notable event deserves to be fittingly commemorated, and it is in the hope that it will be accepted as a standard work on the subject that the present book is put forth. My original intention of telling the stories of all the V.C. exploits was found to be impracticable within the limit of space prescribed. A selection, therefore, has been made, and these instances—a very large number—have been narrated more or less at length. The history of the Decoration has been brought right up to date.
In such a book as this, accuracy is of course of the first importance, and in my account of the deeds that won the Cross I have been at considerable pains to verify the smallest particulars. To this end the London Gazette and other authentic sources have been consulted, while in many cases the information has been obtained from the V.C. men themselves. It is possible, however, that errors have crept in despite the care exercised, and I shall be grateful if any reader who detects a misstatement will notify me of the fact, that the correction may be made in a future edition.
A. L. H.
London, June 1906.