| The Heroes For Whom Monarchy Means More Than Newspaper Headlines |
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| Tuesday, 04 July 2006 | |
 The Victoria Cross, the highest British military decoration, was instituted by a Royal Warrant dated 29th January 1856, and was made retrospective to the autumn of 1854 to cover the period of the Crimean War. Essentially it is awarded for valour in the face of the enemy, although on six occasions it has been awarded for bravery not in the presence of the enemy, one such recipient being George Bell Chicken of Sunderland.Prince Albert was greatly involved in the decision to institute the Victoria Cross, but there is no evidence to support the commonly held notion that the Prince designed the Cross. It is believed the manufacturers were responsible for the design. However, it was Queen Victoria who chose the inscription on the obverse: "For Valour". All VCs are made from bronze. The metal comes from melted down breeches of guns captured from the Russians at Sebastopol in the Crimea. The rough cast Crosses are then individually hand finished; each is therefore truly unique. The remaining ingot of bronze, believed to be sufficient for a further 80 Crosses, is held by the Ministry of Defence. The original Warrant gave the ribbon colour as red for the Army and blue for the Navy. With the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918, the use of the blue ribbon was abolished. Living holders of 'Naval' VCs were required to exchange their blue ribbons for red ones. The colour of the ribbon might more accurately be described as 'wine red'. Hancocks (Jewellers) Ltd, London, have made all the Victoria Crosses since the inception of the award. The first investiture of the Victoria Cross was made by Queen Victoria to 62 recipients on 26th June, 1857 in London's Hyde Park. The Victoria Cross could be forfeited for infamous conduct on the part of the recipient. Only eight men forfeited their award up to 1908. In 1920 King George V expressed strong views about the practice, and no further forfeitures have taken place. The Royal Warrant does, however, still contain the relevant clause maintaining the Sovereign's right to erase the name of a recipient on account of infamous conduct. In earlier years no provision was made for posthumous awards. A memorandum would appear in the London Gazette stating that the person 'would have been recommended for the Victoria Cross had he survived.' Approximately 291 posthumous awards have been made since the regulations of August 8th 1902 sanctioned posthumous awards retrospectively to the Zulu War in 1879. The last such award was presented n 1982 to Sgt. Ian John McKay of the Parachute Regiment, whose mother Freda was born in Sunderland. The first man to win the award was Mate (later Rear-Admiral) Charles Lucas, Royal Navy, in the Baltic on 21st June 1854, when an unexploded Russian shell landed on the deck of his ship during an engagement. With no thought for his own safety, Lucas threw it overboard seconds before it exploded. The youngest VC recipient is generally regarded as Hospital Apprentice Arthur Fitzgibbon, Indian Medical Establishment (15 years and 3 months) for bravery at Taku Forts in China on 21st August, 1860. Boy (First Class) John Travers Cornwell won the VC posthumously at the age of 16 in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, and the award known as the Scouts' VC, the Jack Cornwall Badge, was named after him. T  he oldest VC recipient was Lieutenant W. Raynor (69 years), Bengal Veteran Establishment, Indian Mutiny, 11th May, 1857. Only three men have won a bar to the Victoria Cross. They are:
Listed below are the rare instances of the Victoria Cross being awarded to father and son, and brothers:
Lieutenant Colonel D A Seagrim, 7th Battalion, The Green Howards, won a posthumous VC in North Africa, 20/21st March 1943. And Major H P Seagrim, DSO MBE MC, 19th Hyderabad Regiment, attached to the Special Operations Executive, won a posthumous GC behind the Japanese lines in Burma, on 2nd September 1944. Their mother was therefore the only person ever to have the painfully sad honour of wearing both the VC and the GC on her right breast. William McNally VC:  William McNally was born at 12 Bude Square, Murton, near Seaham, County Durham on 16th December 1894. At the age of four, he went to Murton Colliery School but left, aged 14, to follow his father down the pits as a pit pony boy. He worked six shifts a week until he was 20 years old.On 3rd September 1914, he enlisted in Sunderland into the Green Howards. After training he was posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment at Halton Park Camp in Buckinghamshire. They trained for a year before travelling to France in August 1915 as part of 69 Brigade, 23rd Division. As a Private he was awarded his first Military Medal on 10th July 1916 for bravery at Contalmaison during the Battle of the Somme which was gazetted on the 23rd August 1916. He went to the assistance of an officer who was wounded in the thigh and dragged him back to safety. On 3rd November 1917, he won a bar to his Military Medal for bravery near Passchendaele. On three separate occasions he rescued men who had been wounded or buried by enemy shellfire in the trenches. It was not gazetted until 23rd February 1918. In mid-November 1917, the 8th Yorkshires were sent from the Western Front to northern Italy. 13820 Sergeant William McNally MM* performed three separate acts of gallantry between 27th and 29th October 1918 to win the Victoria Cross north east of the River Piave in Italy. The citation published in The London Gazette on 14th December 1918 reads as follows: "For most conspicuous bravery and skilful leading during the operations on the 27th October 1918, across the Piave, when his company was most seriously hindered in its advance by heavy machine-gun fire from the vicinity of some buildings on a flank. Utterly regardless of personal safety, he rushed the machine-gun post single-handed, killing the team and capturing the gun." "Later at Vassola, on the 29th October, when his company, having crossed the Monticano River, came under heavy rifle fire and machine-gun fire, Sergeant McNally immediately directed the fire of his platoon against the danger point, while he himself crept to the rear of the enemy's position. Realising that a frontal attack would mean heavy losses, he, unaided, rushed the position, killing or putting to flight the garrison and capturing a machine gun. On the same day, when holding a newly-captured ditch, he was strongly counter-attacked from both flanks. By his coolness and skill in controlling the fire of his party he frustrated the attack, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy." "Throughout the whole of the operations his innumerable acts of gallantry set a high example to his men, and his leading was beyond all praise." In February 1919, Billy McNally left the army at Ripon still suffering from his third wound, a bullet in the leg, but it did not stop him from returning to work down the pits at Murton Colliery. He married in July just before receiving the Victoria Cross in Buckingham Palace from His Majesty King George V on 17th July 1919. A member of the Miners' Lodge Committee, in 1947 McNally became a timber-yard foreman making pit props. On 26th June 1956 he attended the Hyde Park VC Reunion and retired at the age of 65 years in July 1958. McNally lived in retirement for a further 16 years, taking an active part in the local community, and regularly attended VC & GC Association and Green Howard Association reunions. He died at his place of birth on 5th January 1976, his ashes later scattered in Sunderland Crematorium's Garden of Remembrance. In October 1978, his life was commemorated by a stone memorial, unveiled by his widow and their two sons and daughter, in Murton Park near the village war memorial. Mrs McNally presented her husband's Victoria Cross, Military Medal and Bar, and six medals to the Regiment in 1979, the collection now being held by the Green Howards Regimental Museum in Richmond. George Allen Maling VC: George Maling was born in Sunderland on 6th October, 1888 the son of Edwin Allan and Maria Jane Maling. He was educated at Uppingham, going on to Oxford and then to St Thomas's Hospital where he obtained the Degrees, M A; M B; B Ch. Oxon; MRCS; and LRCP. The Battle of Loos formed a part of the wider Artois-Loos Offensive conducted by the French and British in autumn 1915, sometimes referred to as the Second Battle of Artois, and comprised the major Allied offensive on the Western Front in 1915. The Loos offensive began on 25th September following a four day artillery bombardment in which 250,000 shells were fired, and was called off in failure on 28th September. Presided over by General Douglas Haig, the British had committed six divisions to the attack despite serious misgivings regarding the unavailability of a further two divisions as reserves. This delay in making available the reserves was crucial. The Germans poured in reserves to counter-attack the following day when the British no longer had the benefit of a preliminary artillery bombardment. Advancing towards the astonished Germans that afternoon without covering fire, the "Tommies" were cut down by repeated machine gun fire. After several days of sporadic fighting, the British were eventually forced to order a retreat. During the battle the British forces suffered 50,000 casualties. German casualties were estimated much lower, at approximately half the British total. It was against this backdrop of carnage that Lieutenant George Maling of the Royal Army Medical Corps attached to 12th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (now the Royal Green Jackets) won his Victoria Cross. At dawn on the second day of battle a group of British soldiers were trapped in the area of a ruined house in "no man's land", near Fauquissart, by a murderous artillery barrage, with the screams of the wounded carrying to the British lines, where their comrades were unable to give them support because of the intensity of the shelling. Despite this, and on being advised that were some three-hundred wounded around this ruin, Maling shouldered his medical pack, shouted for his orderly and jumped the parapet and ran through curtain of exploding steel, and inexplicably arrived at ruin unharmed. He then set about his duties conscientiously and systematically, despite the incessant barrage, and the consequent escalation in casualty numbers. Accompanied by his orderly, Maling moved from casualty to casualty, never hurrying, dressing wounds, carrying less seriously wounded men to more comfortable positions, and giving solace and as much palliative care as circumstances would permit to the more serious injured. Both men worked through the day, taking cover only when the bombardment became too intense, and even then Maling sought to protect his patients with his body. Eventually, and inevitably, a shell exploded almost over-head of the two men, throwing them a distance. Lieutenant Maling found to his surprise that he was uninjured, his orderly however, was not so fortunate and lay wounded amongst a pile of bodies. Dazed, Maling struggled to his feet, pulled his orderly clear, and commenced to treat his wounds. At this point, Maling heard the faint cry of a comrade begging for water, and as he made his way to this unfortunate soldier another artillery shell exploded near-by flinging Maling to the ground, covering him with debris and blowing his bag out of his hand. Most incredibly he again escaped unhurt, and so crawled about on his hands and knees recovering his lost medical equipment, and re-commenced treating the ever growing band of injured and dying as the barrage continued pitilessly throughout that terrible and Hellish day. As night fell the bombardment lessened in intensity, becoming more sporadic. Maling was therefore able to commence transporting the wounded to relatively safer places. Not once during this long night of wounded and dying soldiers did Maling think of leaving his patients and returning to the safety of British lines, instead he continued alone in his selfless and gallant humanitarian work, with great commitment and courage. As dawn broke, the early light showed hundreds of dead around the area of the ruined house, but almost three hundred alive but wounded. Again a haggard and tired Maling continued moving from man to man giving what treatment he could and trying to raise their spirits.  By 8am the German gunners ceased their attack, and British rescue teams were able to move forward to bring the wounded back to casualty stations and thence away from the "Front". For the most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in collecting and treating more than 300 wounded, all the time under heavy shell fire and in the open Lieutenant Malling was awarded the highest honour that can be bestowed on a British soldier — the Victoria Cross. He was mentioned in despatches and promoted to Captain in 1916. George Allen Maling VC died on 9th July, 1929 at the age of 40 in Lee, South East London, where he had practised as a General Practitioner (Doctor). His medals are held by the Museum of Army Medical Services, Aldershot. Dennis Donnini VC: On a wintery mid-December day in 1944, three powerful German armies plunged into the semi-mountainous, heavily forested Ardennes region of eastern Belgium and northern Luxembourg. Their goal was to reach the sea, trap four allied armies, and so force a negotiated peace on the Western front. In snow and sub-freezing temperatures the Germans fell short of their interim objective — that of reaching the sprawling Meuse River on the fringe of the Ardennes. All the Germans accomplished was to create a Bulge in the American line — hence the name "Battle of the Bulge". In the process they expended irreplaceable men, tanks and material. Four weeks later, after grim fighting, with heavy losses on both sides, the Bulge ceased to exist. This battle was fought in the coldest and snowiest weather "in memory" in the Ardennes Forest on the German/Belgium border. Over a million men, 500,000 Germans, 600,000 Americans and 55,000 British fought in the battle. There were 1,400 British casualties, 200 killed were killed, including the son of an Italian immigrant family from Easington. Dennis Donnini was just 19 years old and a Fusilier in the 4/5th Battalion, The Royal Scots Fusiliers, British Army when the following deed took place for which he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. On 18th January 1945, between the rivers Roer and Maas in the Netherlands, Fusilier Donnini's platoon was ordered to attack a small village. On leaving their trench they immediately came under heavy fire from a house and Fusilier Donnini was hit in the head. After recovering consciousness Donnini charged 30 yards down the open road and hurled a grenade through the nearest window, whereupon the enemy fled pursued by Fusilier Donnini and the survivors of his platoon. Under heavy fire and at seventy yards range, Donnini and his comrades crossed an open space and reached the cover of a wooden barn, thirty yards from enemy positions. Donnini, still bleeding from his head wound, went into the open again and under intense fire brought one of his companions who had been wounded back to the comparative safety of the barn. Having carried out this daring rescue he took a Bren gun and emerged out into the open once more, firing as he went. He was wounded a second time but continued firing until a third German bullet hit a grenade he was carrying, immediately killing this very brave young man. His superb gallantry at point blank range drew enemy fire from his platoon to himself and enabled his comrades to overcome twice an enemy force twice their own number. Dennis Donnini VC is buried in Sittard Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetary at Limburg, Holland. Richard Wallace Annand VC  Captain Richard Annand was born on 5th November 1914 i.e Inkerman day, the Regimental day of the Durham Light Infantry, indeed his birthday was the sixtieth anniversary of the award of DLI’s first Victoria Cross to Private John Byrne DCM.If ever a man was born for a particular Regiment, and destined to bring to it the ultimate accolade of gallantry, it surely must be Richard Annand. The story of Richard Annand VC is one of family service to Country, County and community. Captain Annand's father, Lt. Commnader Wallace Moir Annand, fell whilst serving with the Collingwood Brigade of the Royal Naval Division on the Gallipoli peninsula in June 1915. Indeed, Captain Annand himself actually served with the Royal Navy before joining the DLI, originally as a Midshipman with the Tyne Division of the RNVR. His gallant deeds, which won him the first Victoria Cross to be awarded during the Second World War in 1940, provide an inspiration to all who seek to serve in whatever walk of life. Following the War, Annand continued his service to society by, most commendably, working to better the lot of disabled people in the Durham area. Mrs Shirley Annand is also a part of this great family tradition of commitment and service, working as she did throughout the London Blitz as an ambulance driver, and later serving for many years as a Justice of the Peace. So to Captain Annand's famous deed. The 2nd Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry set sail for France as part of the British Expeditionary force some three weeks after war was declared. Early on 10th May 1940 the German Blitzkreig attacked Belgium, and within two days 2nd DLI, along with 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers, and 1st Royal Berkshire Regiment as part of the 6th Infantry Brigade, of the Major General H. C. Lloyd’s 2nd Division, established a new defensive position on the river Dyle, east of Brussels. DLI Battalion Headquarters was established in the village of La Tombe, and three Companies ("A", "B" & "D") moved into position in the valley to defend the vital road bridge across the river, and "C" company was dispatched to the far side of the river. Although intelligence reports had indicated that it would be some ten days before any German troops were likely to reach the river Dyle, the DLI immediately began to work to improve their defensive positions. By 13th May refugees, and defeated French and Belgian troops, passed by "D" Company's positions in retreat, and reported that German armoured formations were only a matter of hours from the river. Early on 15th May, the Germans began a serious assault on the positions held by "D" company of the 2nd Battalion, resulting in the OC Captain Bill Hutton being badly wounded. The main German attack then fell on 16 Platoon and 2nd Lieutenant Richard Annand. The Victoria Cross Citation reads: "About 11am the enemy launched a violent attack and pushed forward a bridging party into the sunken bottom of the river. Second Lieutenant Annand attacked this party but when ammunition ran out he went forward himself over open ground, with total disregard for enemy motar and machine gun fire. Reaching the top of the bridge he drove out the party below, inflicting over twenty casualties with hand grenades. Having been wounded he rejoined his platoon, had his wound dressed, and then carried on in command." Fierce fighting continued throughout the day, with the DLI being pinned down by motar, shell and sniper fire. As darkness fell the Germans attacked under cover of intense machine gun fire, and again Lt. Annand went forward with hand grenades, and inflicted heavy casualties. Platoon Sergeant Terry O'Neill, who lost an arm in the battle, later explained: "Our position was at the bottom of a long forward slope with a large wood to our rear. The road leading to the bridge, which had been destroyed, was alongside our left hand section, and the ground between was perfectly open." "On the night of 15th May, Mr Annand came to me at platoon HQ and asked for a box of hand grenades, as they could hear Jerry trying to repair the bridge. Off he went and he sure must have given them a lovely time because it wasn't a great while before he was back for more. Just like giving an elephant strawberries!!" Another comrade CSM Norman Metcalfe explained: "In they came with a vengeance, and weren't they socked with a vengeance...They seemed determined to get that bridge and therefore reinforcements were simply piled up with casualties. Jerry couldn't move old "D" (Company)!!" "We had casualties, especially 16 platoon, but they were wonderful. Mr Annand, Batty, Wood, Surtees — they just went mad. Jerry got up on the other side of the bridge to their sorrow; they must have thought they had demons in front of them...For two hours it was hell let loose, then Jerry gave up and withdrew". The Durhams continued to hold their positions, but elsewhere the Germans had broken through, and so eventually the DLI had to withdraw in the early hours of the following day, and as there was no transport anything that could not be carried would have to be left behind.  As Annand led the survivors away he learnt that his Batman, Private Joseph Hunter of Sunderland, had been wounded in the head and legs and was unable to walk, and had therefore been left behind.Despite his own severe wounds, Richard Annand immediately returned alone to the deserted trenches, and found the wounded soldier. Helping his wounded batman into an abandoned wheelbarrow, Annand set off up a forest path towards the rest of the Battalion. All went well until they came upon a fallen tree that completely blocked their way. Weak from his wounds and physical exhaustion, he was unable to lift Private Hunter over the tree. Having found shelter for his colleague in a nearby trench, Annand went to bring help. When he eventually reached the old Company HQ he found it deserted. Using the last of his reserves of energy he set off again to find help, and was finally discovered by one of the Battalion's last remaining Bren Gun Carriers. At this point Lt. Annand finally collapsed through loss of blood and exhaustion. For his gallant attempt to rescue Private Hunter, and courageous actions against overwhelming German forces Richard Annand was awarded the Victoria Cross by his Majesty the King at Buckingham Palace, in the middle of air raid on 3rd September 1940. A final quote from Sgt. Terry O'Neill: "I don't suppose he knows the meaning of the word "fear". He never asked a man to do anything he couldn't do himself. He wouldn't talk much about it. He isn't that kind. It was just another job of work to him." About the author: Arthur Lockyear is the Principal Organiser of the City of Sunderland Remembrance Parade. Comment on this article
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