The George Cross is the UK’s highest award for bravery by a civilian or a military person where the award of the Victoria Cross (VC) is not applicable. In order of precedence, the George Cross is second only to the Victoria Cross. As no person has won both awards, they can be considered as equals.… Continue reading George Cross & Medal
Author: Stephen
Women GC Holders
Four women have been directly awarded the George Cross, as distinct from exchanging a discontinued Albert, Edward or Empire Gallantry Medal. Three of the four George Cross awards to women were for service in the resistance in enemy occupied territory during World War Two. The fourth award, made posthumously to Miss Harrison, was for her… Continue reading Women GC Holders
Herbert Cecil Pugh, GC
Herbet Cecil Pugh, the second of Harry Walter and Janet Pugh’s seven children, was born on 2 November 1898 in Johannesburg. During the period 1917-1919, Pugh served as a Medical Orderly in France. Due to his experiences in France, Pugh became a minister attending Oxford University during 1920 to 1924. With the outbreak of the… Continue reading Herbert Cecil Pugh, GC
Padre VC Recipients
The Victoria Cross was created to recognise valour on the battlefield. However, the VC has been awarded to non-combatants such as medical staff and padres. In fact, of the three people to have won the VC twice (VC and Bar) two of these people were doctors. This article is concerned with the five padres who… Continue reading Padre VC Recipients
Bergen-Belsen Trial
When Belsen was liberated in April 1945, the impact in the UK was huge. While there had been information about concentration camps for some years, the impact on the British troops who had fought their way into Northern Germany through France, Belgium and the Netherlands, is hard to express in words. The scenes that the… Continue reading Bergen-Belsen Trial
Verdicts & Sentences
This page lists the verdicts and sentences passed upon the defendants in the British War Crimes trial held concerning the Bergen-Belsen camp. The counts faced by each defendant, the verdict and where found guilty the sentence are shown. The two counts deal with offences alleged to have been committed at Belsen (Count One) and at… Continue reading Verdicts & Sentences
Belsen Defendants
The Bergen-Belsen trial had 32 defendants, who were charged with either one or two counts, and 12 defendants were charged with both counts. The two counts deal with offences alleged to have been committed at Bergen-Belsen (Count One) and at Auschwitz (Count Two). At Bergen-Belsen, Germany, between 1 October 1942 and 30 April 1945, when… Continue reading Belsen Defendants
Final Resting Places
This article lists the Operation Freshman personnel and their final resting place. I have also provided a description of the cemetery or memorial that they are commemorated on. The list of personnel was extracted from numerous document at the PRO. The details of their final resting place was provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s… Continue reading Final Resting Places
Four Royal Engineers
Just before Christmas 1945, a military court was held in Oslo. This court was convened by order of Major-General D.A.H. Graham, CB, CBE, DSO, MC, commanding British Land Forces Norway (BLFN) on 7 December 1945. This court was established to try five people in connection with the murder of four soldiers who where part of… Continue reading Four Royal Engineers
Falkenhorst Trial
General Nicolaus von Falkenhorst, formerly the Commander of German Forces in Norway, was tried for war crimes by the British at Brunswick, in Norway, from 29 July to 2 August 1946. The court was convened by the Commander 30 Corps District. The court consisted of a President, Major-General I.S.O Playfair, and four members: Captain C.S.B.… Continue reading Falkenhorst Trial