Victoria Crosses
Since the Victoria Cross was introduced 1856 by the British, 1,355 have been awarded, 94 of them to Canadians for valorous deeds in India, the Crimean, South African and both World Wars. A few VC winners later settled in this country which explains why our totals vary. Canada now has its own array of honours and awards including her own VC yet to be bestowed whereas Britain awarded two in the 1982 Falklands War and another since to a British soldier for valour in Iraq. Canadian heroes as these have been included as part of the background of names just described in our Catalogue of Kin.
The first Canadian VC was young Alexander Dunn, officer of the 11th Hussars in the ill-fated Charge of the Light Brigade 25 October 1854 in the Crimean war. Last surviving Canadian winner was jovial Ernest A. “Smokey” Smith, late Seaforth Highlanders, Van-couver, frail enough for a wheelchair towards the end. This private destroyed attacking tanks in Italy to blunt a German counter move and also managed to extricate his wounded helper. He’d been busted in rank repeatedly for larks but did depart the Army a sergeant. He d. 3 Aug. 2005 aged 95.
Smokey was in Ottawa the preceding October for unveiling of two Canadian postal stamps saluting Canada’s VCs on the 150th anniversary of Lt. Dunn’s VC for valour at Balaklava in Crimea. One of these 49-cent issues shows the British medal; the other the Canadian Victoria Cross approved 1993 by Queen Elizabeth.
The older VC has considerable money value to collectors and museums. The record price was close to $600,000 for Royal Air Force Flight Sergeant Norm Jackson’s. On a bombing raid over Germany in the Second World War he climbed out on the wing of his Lancaster at 20,000 feet to fight a fire but fell off. Although his parachute was on fire he survived. Many Victoria Crosses were awarded posthumously. At British auctions one usually goes for $200,000 or $300,000 Cdn.
Funds raised sent Canadian paratroop medic Fred Topham’s to the National War Museum, Ottawa, along with his other medals. As the only VC awarded to the British 6th Air Division in the last world war, paras over there had wanted it for their own museum.
Canada’s only piper VC lost them on a 1916 battlefield and was killed trying to retrieve them. A British army chaplain found them the year following and later gave them to a Scottish private school where he taught. Their repatriation began on the 90th anniver-sary of Piper James Cleland Richardson’s death. Faded and holed possibly by bullets, they are permanently displayed in the rotunda of the B. C. legislature in Victoria. A sta-tue of this valorous youth stands before Chilliwack’s city hall.
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