Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #VictoriaCross
Most recents (3)
The battle of #RorkesDrift ended 144 years ago today. A distant battle in a long gone war, its place in popular history relies as much on a film as it does the gallantry rewarded with 11 VCs.
But there's more to the story of the #VictoriaCross and cinema. A thread.
THREAD 1/14
But there's more to the story of the #VictoriaCross and cinema. A thread.
THREAD 1/14
The idea for ZULU (1964) came when Cy Endfield picked up a copy of Lilliput. John Prebble's article "Slaughter in the Sun" became #Zulu a few years later - recounting an underdog action which yielded 11 VCs and launched the career of a cinema great along the way.
THREAD 2/14
THREAD 2/14
ZULU DAWN (1979) sought to cash in on the success of its predecessor by depicting the Battle of #Isandlwana. Some big names make up a strong ensemble cast, share the story of two more VCs (Melvill and Coghill), and put the events at #RorkesDrift into wider context.
THREAD 3/14
THREAD 3/14
#OTD in 1918, Lieutenants Alan McLeod and Arthur Hammond, while flying over Albert, France, shot down a German Fokker Triplane before being bounced by eight more enemy aircraft. They shot down three more before crashing. A THREAD 1/10
#VictoriaCross
#VictoriaCross
McLeod and Hammond served in No. 2 Squadron, RAF flying the Armstrong Whitworth F.K 8, a two-seater. It was an effective and dependable aircraft that was used for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, ground attack, contact patrols, and bombing. 2/10
McLeod & Hammond were wounded by MG fire which also set their petrol tank on fire. McLeod side-slipped his craft to keep the flames away but it was still too hot in the cockpit, so he lept onto the wing and crouched low with the joystick pulled hard over in his right hand. 3/10
29th January ...
Thread for yr commute to work ⏩ thanks to our #armedforces keeping us safe.
On this day 29/1/1856 Queen Victoria instituted Britain’s highest military decoration, the #VictoriaCross #VC.
Awarded for outstanding bravery ‘on the field of battle’.
#NeverForget 1/
Thread for yr commute to work ⏩ thanks to our #armedforces keeping us safe.
On this day 29/1/1856 Queen Victoria instituted Britain’s highest military decoration, the #VictoriaCross #VC.
Awarded for outstanding bravery ‘on the field of battle’.
#NeverForget 1/
The metal from which the medals are struck is either from Russian cannon captured at the Siege of Sevastopol or other cannons.
Only 1355 #VCs have been awarded since 1856.
11 were awarded for the defence of #RorkesDrift in the Zulu wars on 23/1/1879 - 141 yrs ago this week 2/
Only 1355 #VCs have been awarded since 1856.
11 were awarded for the defence of #RorkesDrift in the Zulu wars on 23/1/1879 - 141 yrs ago this week 2/
Bravery comes in many forms. Locally in #Northumberland I commemorate Private Fred Dobson of #Ovingham.
A 27-year-old private, with the #ColdstreamGuards he twice volunteered to go out under heavy fire to bring in two wounded men at Chavonne in France on 28 September 1914. 3/
A 27-year-old private, with the #ColdstreamGuards he twice volunteered to go out under heavy fire to bring in two wounded men at Chavonne in France on 28 September 1914. 3/
