A cross that signifies valour is awarded to the brave few, the highest of military honours transplants the heroism of old into the present, and also celebrates the modern.
In this year alone, a small number of individuals received the Victoria Cross, including L/Cpl Joshua Leakey, of the Parachute Regiment, who ‘disregarded’ his own safety when serving in Afghanistan in 2013.
Rambahadur Limbu, a Gurkha, won his Victoria Cross during the Indonesian Confrontation in 1965, and is one of few living VC recipients. Another name on that list is the Grenada-born Lance Sergeant Johnson Beharry.
In New Zealand, the only recipient is Bill Henry “Willie” Apiata VC, who lived in the Northland, home of his father’s Ngapuhi iwi (a Maori term for social unit), until he was seven. Estrangement from his father saw Apiata move to settlement of Te Kaha, where you would find the Maori Te Whanau-a-Apanui iwi and returned there to visit after receiving his Victoria Cross.
Did you know? Victoria Crosses are cast from the bronze cascabels of two cannons captured from the Russians at the siege of Sevastopol in 1854-1855
Turning the pages of history and Britain looked towards the Empire and Commonwealth for support in times of war. During World War I, that support stretched from India, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Nepal (alongside non-Commonwealth allies including the United States).
Of the 1.2m volunteers from India’s volunteer army, six from India and two from Pakistan received VC awards, their names include Risaldar Badlu Singh, Sepoy Chatta Singh, Naik Darwan Singh Negi, Rifleman Gabir Singh Negi, Lance-Daffadar Gobind Singh, Lance-Naik Lala, Sepoy Khudadad Khan, Jemandar Mir Dast, and Naik Shahamad Khan.
The number of VC awards per country in WWI: Canada (70), Australia (66), New Zealand (16), South Africa (14), and Nepal (2).
William James Gordon (1864-1922), a Lance Corporal (later Sergeant), of the First Battalion, The West India Regiment, received his Victoria Cross in 1892. Gordon is the only Jamaican recipient and the second non-white soldier bestowed with a VC.
Able-Seaman William Neilson Edward Hall (1827-1904), born in Novia Scotia, Canada, became the first black person, and third Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross in 1859. Hall served as “Captain of the Foretop” on board HMS Shannon during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58. His bravery under fire allowed the British garrison to escape.
So what can we learn from the above? One lesson is that the British Armed Forces will recognise acts of valour beyond the frameworks of ethnicity and nationality.