Multiple Victoria Crosses in the same action? (1 Viewer)

[larso]

Myself, Jack and Waynpoo visted fellow collector 'Phil' today for a pub lunch and to watch highlights of 'The Horse Soldiers' and 'Zulu' amongst others. We got chatting about about the Victoria Crosses won at Rorke's Drift. It's well known that the eleven (or so?) won there are the most awarded for a swingle action, but what comes second? Seven were awarded to Australians at Lone Pine, on Galliploli in 1915 - are there any other instances that exceed that?

 

[waynepoo]

After a google search I found out something that I didn't know, the most Victoria Crosses awarded in one day was 24 on the 16th of November 1857 at the seige of Lucknow India. Now if you consider that as one action would that make Rourkes Drift number two?....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Lucknow
Wayne.

 

[glossman]

After a google search I found out something that didn't know, the most Victoria Crosses awarded in one day was 24 on the 16th of November 1857 at the seige of Lucknow India. Now if you consider that as one action would that make Rourkes Drift number two?....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Lucknow
Wayne.

The largest number of VCs won in a single action is 28 for the duration of the 2nd Relief of Lucknow from 14th to 22th November 1857. If I am not wrong, the majority were awarded to the 93rd Highlanders.

Rorke's Drift is second with 11 VCs in a single action from 23rd to 24th January 1879, the majority being won by 2nd Bn./24th Regt. Foot.

Raymond

 

[johnnybach]

Ah yes Wayne - but the key words here are, "Single Action". The 24 awarded on that one day were for seperate actions. 23 took place at Lucknow - over a period of time - but the 24th was at Narnoul.

If you apply the same logic - 182 VC's were awarded in that single action called World War 2!

Having just watched Zulu for the umpteenth time - (and don't forget that this is just a somewhat romanticised film and not fact) - I still take my hat off to ALL of the people who were there at that action. How on Earth do you decide that some men there deserved the award - whilst the others don't! I wouldn't have wanted to decide. jb

 

[theBaron]

Wasn't the VC implemented in the Crimean War? If so, is there an action in that war that yielded multiple awards? The bronze for the medal originally came from Russian cannons that were captured in the war, if I'm not mistaken.

Prost!
Brad

 

[trooper]

Wasn't the VC implemented in the Crimean War? If so, is there an action in that war that yielded multiple awards? The bronze for the medal originally came from Russian cannons that were captured in the war, if I'm not mistaken.

Prost!
Brad

Yes Brad, the VC was implemented in the Crimean War and the bronze did and still does come from captured Russian guns. As for multiple awards six were awarded for Balaklava. You may also be interested to know that five Americans have been awarded the cross, six if you include that awarded to the Unknown Warrior of WW1. Trooper

 

[theBaron]

Ta, Trooper! And since I'm toasting, I'll lift one to all sons of the UK and our British and Imperial/Commonwealth cousins who've given that measure and earned the Cross, to their bravery and their memory!

Prost!
Brad

 

[larso]

Thanks fellas! I will do some reading on Lucknow, I know a few of the battles in the Mutiny were of epic proportions. With 24 VCs being awarded, I'm thinking they hadn't attained the 'value' that they later gained. Could it be the VC was the only bravery award available at the time? Does this explain why so many and does this hold for Rorke's Drift as well?

I've just started a new book about Lone Pine, on Gallipoli. The example of 6 VCs being won 'before breakfast' by British troops on 'W' beach is given. There's also a comment about Hamilton the overall commander who was nominated for one in 1st Boer War - only to be denied because he was too young. Then, he was nominated again in 2nd Boer War but it was declined again - this time because he was too senior in rank!