Incredible True Stories of Bravery Beyond the Battlefield
On 23 September 1940, as a response to the changing nature of war that the Second World War had brought about, George VI announced the creation of the George Cross. Ranking alongside the Victoria Cross, it would recognise supreme gallantry away from the heat of battle – behind the front line and in civilian situations.
From the beginning, those who risked or lost their lives in bomb disposal were at the forefront of the minds of those issuing the award – and amongst the very first awarded were those to Robert Davies and George Wylie for their bravery removing an unexploded bomb close to St Paul’s Cathedral. Today it is still these bomb disposal men, who face the possibility of death on a daily basis, who are so often the recipients of the award, with Olaf ‘Oz’ Schmid the most recent recipient. Schmid spent five months in Helmand Province and defused over seventy improvised explosive devices. He lost his life in October 2009.
Since its inception, 161 awards have been made across the Commonwealth and, of these, 110 have been to service personnel and 51 have been to civilians. Those civilians have come from walks of life as diverse as police officers, train drivers, journalists and teachers, and have included four women as well as two collective groups – the people of Malta in 1942 and the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1999. The very first recipient Thomas Alderson typified the bravery that George VI wanted to commemorate – an ARP leader in the Blitz, he led a series of dangerous below-ground searches, while the air-raids were still continuing, in his home town of Bridlington, with little concern for his own safety.
Many of us share the author’s fascination with the bravery of others, and these amazing stories allow us to remember and honour those who have risked, and often lost, their own lives for the sake of others.
Lord Ashcroft believes that great courage should be widely acclaimed and must never be forgotten.
George Cross Heroes by Michael Ashcroft was published in hardback by Headline Review in October 2010.
Lord Ashcroft is donating all the author royalties from the sale of George Cross Heroes to the charity The Victoria Cross and George Cross Association.
George Cross Heroes has also been made into a brand new four-part series starting at 10pm on Thursday, 18 November 2010 on Discovery History.
