Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC has had his latest “hero of the month” article published in Britain at War, the country’s best-selling military history monthly magazine.
The June issue of the magazine has a two-page write-up on the life and bravery of Brigadier John Alexander Sinton, who was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for courage during the Great War.
Sinton, who was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, was on active service for the Indian Medical Service at the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. He was awarded the VC for bravery while serving a regimental medical officer to the 37th Dogras Regiment of the Indian Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia (now Iraq).
Although severely wounded, having been shot through both arms, he continued to attend to the wounded during a fierce battle on January 21 1916. Sinton, then a captain, needed hospital treatment but his VC was announced on June 21 1916 when his citation noted that he had been shown the “utmost bravery” on three previous occasions.
Sinton survived the war and went on to become one of the world’s leading experts on malaria, retiring in the rank of honorary brigadier. He eventually died at his home in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, on March 25 1956, aged 71.
Lord Ashcroft’s articles for Britain at War over the past four years have been largely based on excerpts from four of his books on gallantry: Victoria Cross Heroes, Special Forces Heroes, George Cross Heroes and Heroes of the Skies. His fifth bravery book, Special Ops Heroes, was published in November 2014.
For the foreseeable future, Lord Ashcroft’s “hero of the month” articles will concentrate on men who were awarded the VC during the First World War. Lord Ashcroft is a military historian who has lectured extensively on courage and his various medal collections.
- Lord Ashcroft’s latest article appears in the June issue of Britain at War which is on sale now.
