For Valour: The Victoria Cross | Mark Smith

[@Perspectiveon]

I'm a retired Army Major - served seven tours during the 90s in former Joguslavia and the Middle East - awarded two Destinguished Service Medals ao bling, but what makes me proud is being a relative of a dane getting awarded the VC in WW II. He was a sailor in the danish merchant marine and joined the Brits after Denmark was occupied by the Nazis April 9th 1940. He served with SBS - Special forces and fell near Bologna/Italy April 9th 1945 at the age of 24 with the rank of Major. Was awarded the VC posthumously. Earlier in the war he was awarded the Military Cross 3 times. Still makes me sad thinking about him serving for practically the entire war and falling just one month before VE Day. His name was Anders Lassen. He in turn was related to another dane awarded the VC 1918 during WW I - Thomas Dinesen Canadian Royal Highlanders died 1979 aged 86.

[@petergraves2085]

A remarkable story about the late Major Lassen. Local Italians have not forgotten him - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Lassen "Near the site of the action where Lassen earned his Victoria Cross, the Italians have erected a monument to Lassen and his men. This monument is situated alongside the SP1b highway, southeast of the township, and just to the north of its intersection with the Via del Camposanto."

[@leshughes748]

I am a stone mason, and I was privileged to hand carve the vc on a headstone for the first soldier from the Coldstream guards. I was also present at the ceremony of the unveiling. God save the queen. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇺🇦🇺🇸🇪🇺🇨🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇱I am humbled. ❤️

[@3vimages471]

What soldier and where is the headstone please?

[@martinplatt5928]

Mark Smith is without doubt an incredible raconteur and medals expert. Great watching this!

[@duncanselvester1045]

What a wonderful way to spend an hour!! Superb. This should be a compulsory history lesson in schools. I am in awe, my measly three trinkets (none for charging a machine gun nest!) still make my boys proud, but actually they have no clue.

[@paulwright9749]

Mark Smith is a great storyteller. I’m sat here watching this with tears in my eyes. 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@bethlightfoot4334]

Probably the most interesting and informative talks on youtube.

[@markb9868]

What a wonderful raconteur on such an emotive subject . Can we hear more from him please

[@angussmith4305]

I come from many years of utter hatred of desk bound Mod civil servants , I have to say if ever there should be cause for an immediate Kinghthood it should be for Mr. Smith and the citation should read ...... honesty humility and accuracy on behalf of the nation!

[@petee0158]

Let’s not forget the desk bound civil servant called Thomas Henry Kavanagh who was awarded the VC in 1857.

[@islandhopperstuart]

Fascinating: what a fabulous speaker. Thanks WFA.

[@mastacraft]

Mark you champion🏆 of our forefathers and mothers. Respect from the great grandson of a VC holder.

[@elliottgoad3128]

One of the best talks l have seen in this series.

[@Lava1964]

I came across this terrific clip by accident. What a total delight it was.

[@sandywilkie564]

One of the best things I’ve ever watched. Thank you.

[@andrewkusabs1740]

Absolutely wonderful tales of the heroism of extraordinary human beings related by a man who knows what he’s talking about

[@tommarshall1660]

Just watched it with tears in my eyes. Wow.

[@dannywlm63]

Me to

[@raybenstead2548]

Really interesting lecture, enjoyed listening to him.

[@bobmiller7502]

Dam good story teller, thanks 4 sharing,,never STOP loving,,bobble&MrTao,xx

[@shoofly529]

Have watched it several times & decided to become a member.

[@tectoramia-sz1lu]

Brilliant, I've watched this a couple of times.

[@andybawn1]

Most enjoyable talk

[@noeldonovan3363]

Wonderful, so interesting and informative... Glued to it for the full hour... Well done Mark Smith...

[@heritage195]

What a presentation! The best!!

[@asnieres32]

Mark Smith is a marvelous storyteller.

[@markrunnalls7215]

Really great to listen to you chat Mark ,very interesting indeed ,thank you .

[@lorlabear]

A very informative talk, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you.

[@brianford8493]

That was brilliant ta!

[@paralogregt]

Fantastic presentation. Good to hear the truth about where the bronze comes from.

[@RicTic66]

Fabulous lecture I really enjoyed it

[@julieblundell7421]

Brilliant, very interesting, I could listen to this man all night.

[@andrewkusabs1740]

Julie Blundell Me too. I’ve shared it with my brothers and children.

[@rogersmith5738]

OMG! Great talk Mark, thank you very much for this.

[@localbod]

Thanks for posting this. Absolutely fascinating and so informative.

[@delbond5977]

Excellent talk. I was there.

[@chrishewitt4220]

Wonderful lecture. Very interesting.

[@stokiestewpotter7956]

Interesting, informative,a brilliant excellent lecture. So knowledgeable,thankyou.

[@sbandsman1]

Visited the Ashcroft Collection last week at the IWM, So interesting AND even has "interactive " things for younger visitors. If anyone get the chance to visit make sure you have plenty of time as you will be so engrossed with the stories of ALL the awards time WILL fly.

[@shoofly529]

We're from the US & visited the IWM last Sunday. Highlight of our weekend trip. My wife, a physician,didn't like the diary entry directed towards the women starting hospitals, quote: "Go home & be still!" {When men were men :)} US women lost the football match on Friday :( Had a blast in the stands tho!

[@jschoir8114]

Very interesting and informative .

[@shlomomark2275]

Excellent lecture

[@shoofly529]

"About 500. He was a Lewis gunner: he did the job for real."

[@billsandford3901]

Great! I wonder is the replacement VC cast in 1972 was it for Gen. Milton Grieg VC ?

[@shotleylad]

A pity the Royal Artillery Museum had to close

[@dannywlm63]

I accepted the Victoria Cross were made from sebastobal cannons . Does in no way decrease the value, truly the highest possible honour and the hardest to win

[@jamesmorgan2015]

Wonderful

[@larspederbjorendalhollaend4875]

Has the museum closed? Where are the exhibits now?

[@gazpal]

My old workmate's grandfather earned the VC during WWI (Nov 1915). His family weren't aware of the medal until moving furniture - after his death in 1948 - and his boxed medal was discovered on top of a wardrobe.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

How could the family not know, all VCs were welcomed with huge crowds and brass bands. It could not be kept quiet.

[@gazpal]

@@anthonyeaton5153 younger generation, the award wasn't mentioned, etc. War is hell and few choose to say much or wish to be reminded of the worst of times. He was a coalminer and simply focused on everyday life, working and raising his family .... His medal lay forgotten atop his wardrobe, to be rediscovered some time after his death. His name was Thomas Kenny V.C.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

@@gazpal it would still have been in the public domain newspapers etc. I think there wasn’t a VC awarded. Please let me know the winners name. Thank you.

[@gazpal]

@@anthonyeaton5153 i used to work with his grandson and the medal's rediscovery received quite some write-up at the time. 17424 Pte. Thomas Kenny V.C. - 13th Batt. D.L.I. His grandson was John Barber - my work colleague - who brought newspaper cuttings into work to show me, but the ongoing conversation we had was during the 1970's and long before the internet and readily available online information. www.lightinfantry.me.uk/vckenny.htm

[@twinsonic]

The VC and any other medals are not won, they are earned.

[@raymondjarvis765]

I was lucky to meet two v.c. winners while I served ...smokey and price...both interesting individuals...never talked about how they won them just about my service as they both wanted to hear my aspirations....very personable guys..r.i.p

[@buonafortuna8928]

Mark Smith is a great speaker

[@kennymilne6125]

There were many troops from Scotland and Ireland at the Battle of balaclava , not just English, and I'm sure there would have been Welshman there aswell , I keep forgetting it's the English army , not the British army

[@donathandorko]

Agreed but one of his most poignant descriptions of a VC winner was that Daniel Cambridge, of Ulster. England and and Britain are often intertwined and confused, mostly by Americans, but in this case by an Englishman. I'm sure if this was pointed out he would agree with you too and apologise.

[@douglapointe6810]

Kenny Milne ... Alexander Dunn VC was a Canadian in the charge. The first Canadian to be awarded the VC.

[@kennymilne2176]

@@douglapointe6810 Canadians have always shown themselves to be very brave , skilled and highly competent soldiers , god bless them

[@mikedon5205]

Agreed in fact I'd argue the majority would have come from Scotland and Ireland

[@daveenberg9075]

Very interesting and heartfelt. As he said the importance is the story not the medal. My Grandfather enlisted with the Canadians in 1915 and he and his friends were placed in the 46th. Battalion. The Battalion was sent to England in the Fall of 1915 and the next year 155 of them were sent to the front as replacements for the 16th. Battalion (the Canadian Scottish). They first fought a Ypres and then were sent to The Somme. When the Battalion left The Somme on the 11th. of Oct. my Grandfather and his best friend found them self's as the only two members of their Platoon that had survived the Summer of 1916. The Battalion was sent directly from The Somme to Vimy Ridge. Easter 1917 the 16th. Battalion was in the first wave of the assault on the Ridge. My Grandfather and his best friend had been asked to both lead a squad as their Platoon was short NCO's and they were the only combat veterans. I quote from my Grandfather's memoirs" Milne and his squad got up against a machine gun. Milne had his men take cover in a small shell hole and went straight for the gun alone. All the time they were firing at him, when he got close they threw a grenade at him but he bombed them to death and comes back to his men and they went on. At the first objective a machine gun starts firing on them. He had his men take cover around a bend in the trench. He had more time and was able to get around in back of them and bombed them. He picked up the gun and bought it back to his men. He had killed twelve of them and put two machine guns out of action by himself. As we waited for the next creeping barrage to start one of our shells explored to soon. Short as we called it. My friend Milne was hit in his back and killed. My friend Milne was awarded the Victoria Cross the highest decoration of the British Army. The Scottish 51st. were on our right. It was one of their Officers that recommended him for it. What a man I wish I was half as brave as he was.Milne was the best." (427586 Pte. W.J. Milne V.C.) Deas Gu Cath

[@edwardbutt691]

Incredible story - thank you for sharing.

[@Derek0846]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Johnstone_Milne

[@zaynevanday142]

You don’t win a VC you earn it !

[@eamoncadden7721]

brilliant guy

[@markliske9588]

an interesting story, three Canadian soldiers who all lived on the same street in Winnipeg were awarded the Victoria Cross

[@imedi]

16:47 pretty sure there were irish scots and welsh there too

[@donathandorko]

Agreed but one of his most poignant descriptions of a VC winner was that Daniel Cambridge, of Ulster. England and and Britain are often intertwined and confused, mostly by Americans, but in this case by an Englishman. I'm sure if this was pointed out he would agree with you too and apologise.

[@asnieres32]

@@donathandorko Daniel Cambridge was from Ireland.

[@richardlympany6732]

Fascinating

[@glenndwyer5786]

I got chills

[@asnieres32]

They're multiplying

[@harryurz]

Regarding verification of VC awards, Mark fails to mention Billy Bishop's unwitnessed actions on 2 June 1917, arguably a unique award.

[@Baskerville22]

I would have liked to ask him if he thought that the degree of valour exhibited in the winning of more recently awarded VCs has been degraded compared to, say, WW1 era VCs.

[@paulmckeand6477]

Well done

[@Iazzaboyce]

Handling a genuine VC that way is not a great idea. If it were accidentally dropped it could easily dent. Correctly secured into an open box it could be studied and protected.

[@shlomomark2275]

Was a VC awarded during the Northern Ireland conflict?

[@paralogregt]

No

[@asnieres32]

@@paralogregt No surprise. Not much valour happening.

[@stephenmcdonald7908]

What an amazing and informative lecture.

[@tectorama]

I think the baby may have been named "Daniel Tremendous McKenzie" not James ?

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Could you clarify what you have just written it doesn’t make sense.

[@thelastaustralian7583]

lest we forget

[@RickDeckard6531]

Wonderful talk.

[@tjwilliams7566]

Your name sir

[@nickinportland]

No one does history better than Britain

[@asnieres32]

No one does 'glorious' English history like England. You should learn another language and then get out a bit more.

[@daveferguson935]

Lest we forget.

[@keithhodgson6489]

The best 56 minutes you could spend.

[@catlee8064]

I have a few medals, from NI, bosnia, kosovo and the sandy countries....i have lots of stories, but id rather have my mind and my mates back.

[@MikeHarland-m2g]

The English Channel should get the VC. For without it the German army would have over run Britain just like it had Europe. Then the US would not have been able to rescue us by sending men, arms, supplies for D day. There would not have been a D day. And the Germans might have defeated the Red army as it would not have been fighting in Western Europe. We were lucky to have 5he channel to save us.

[@Nounismisation]

AHHH!! And now "My guns" !!!!

[@archangel1499]

#VictoriaCross #SpecialAirService #TalaiasiLabalaba #BattleOfMirbat ✌🐉✌X

[@phililpb]

it does not matter how many VC's Lord Ashcroft buys he does not have any

[@arjunuk1]

the first lady will be a medic, the RMAC i'm lead to believe they have the most. (to date 27 + 2 bars)

[@anthonyeaton5153]

27+2 what?

[@joewalker2152]

@@anthonyeaton5153 It means they were awarded another VC. So if you are awarded two VCs at two different times you don't wear two VCs, you wear one and a "Bar" on the ribbon of the first one. It's the same for all gallantry awards in the British Armed Forces. D.S.O. and bar, Military Cross and bar etc, etc.. Also, you could be awarded more as in Military Cross and three bars.

[@arthurmahy8493]

W

[@zaynevanday142]

Bloody Drop Shorts

[@Nounismisation]

"My left hand gun"?? My???

[@EldeLDorELLEN]

Sounds like he is bagging Ashcroft Sounds a little like jealousy

[@stevekells7283]

Very interesting

[@paulmcewen]

Only 3 people have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice, 2 were from the medical corps and the only fighting soldier a New Zealander Charles Hazlett Upham during WW2 was awarded his first one in Crete, and the second one in North Africa.