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Forgotten Voices of the Victoria Cross

Forgotten Voices of the Victoria Cross

Summary

'It wasn't until after he was safely back in the aircraft again that I heard that he'd actually been out on the wing to try to put the fire out ... Remember that we were flying at about 90 miles an hour at a height of 13,000 feet'
Squadron Leader RP Widdowson on Sergeant James Ward, who earned his VC in 1941

The Victoria Cross, awarded to the most courageous and determined servicemen, is the highest military decoration that can be bestowed.

In Forgotten Voices: Victoria Cross, first-hand accounts of soldiers, sailors and airmen describe the incredible events that earned these extraordinary men the VC in the last century.

Captivating and often humbling, these stories depict exceptional acts of bravery in unimaginable situations, of men who would say they were just doing their duty.

Introduction by General Sir Richard Dannatt.

Reviews

  • This profound study by Roderick Bailey goes a long way to identifying the common characteristics of the bravest of the brave ... Here is a testament to what is good about humankind against the backdrop of what can be the worst. The abiding thought with which the reader is left is one of hope; that adversity can indeed bring out the best in us. These "Forgotten Voices" are eloquent in proclaiming this enduring truth
    General Sir Richard Dannatt, from the Introduction

About the authors

Roderick Bailey

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Imperial War Museum

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