Michael White

Well deserved Victoria Cross; I'm sure his mates will agree.

I noticed the Canadian Machine Gun badge in there... Brutinel's innovative contribution to Canada's Great War successes. Great collection! Most people only think of them in MG emplacements at the trench level but they did so much more, from the motorized Machine Gun Brigade that exploited and assisted the infantry's advance to their indirect fire which kept Jerry ducking as he performed his duties behind the front lines. You obviously put a lot of time, money, and effort in compiling this museum worthy tribute to a lesser known branch of the Armed Services. My congratulations to you because it impresses the heck out of me!

Mike

Colin;

Unbelievable! Great work!

Mike

Colin;

All I can say is ...wow! You have a wonderful talent ; I like to make military models and figurines ( which take months to build ) so I can appreciate the amazing skills that you possess. This is a museum quality work of art. Congratulations!

Mike

He also said that he would rather have lost an arm or a leg or his own life than to have lost his own brother who was killed that day, 70 years ago today!

Mike

Excellent points Chris. I hadn't thought about that way and it does go to the point that some people are denied promotions and/or awards because of various forms of malfeasance. Glad to accept your thoughts and viewpoint!

Regards,

Mike

What does this say about the American military and the Medal of Honor? Is one dishonored because of past prejudices or is the other diminished because of political interference? I realize that this is a sensitive topic ; I also believe that valour is not determined, decades later, by a panel of judges who are directed to re-assess and upgrade awards duly recognized in a previous era. Why did Joshua L. Chamberlain receive the Medal of Honor 30 years after a battle where many had already been recognized, at the time, for their actions? Did General Meade and his staff not understand the importance of Little Round Top? I know that Chamberlain was a very capable officer who distinguished himself in other battles as well, but it's just this afterthought business that I struggle with. I know that early in the 20th century dozens were stripped of the award , they being determined to be undeserving of the medal.In 40,50, or 60 years from now will those who won the medal in Iraq lose their award because it was " Bush's War". I hope not and I hope didn't offend anyone with my thoughts. I'm just musing.

Mike

In my province, New Brunswick, the Regiment that my grandfather served with fron 1920 until the conclusion of WWII is reverting back to it's original name.. the North Shore ( N.B. ) Regiment. I know my grandfather, also a WWI veteran, would approve.

Mike

Great acquisition, Bill. Certainly a magnificant centerpiece for anyone's collection. Priceless! My congratulations!

Mike

Very nice medal, Ralph. Certainly one of the better quality replicas I've seen. You can tell by the suspender ring and the attachment opening on the cross itself. Also, the color of the ribbon more closely matches that of the " real thing ". Great find.

Mike

Probably ended up in Lord Ashcroft's collection. I haven't even seen the real thing and he owns over 10% of the total awarded to date. Good for him! The only one he has in his own hands, however, is an unissued, genuine V.C. that he bought for himself as a Christmas present " at a modest price because it had been unissued " and it now sits " on a dsk in my house ". Wow!

Mike

I know. I was watching that but wouldn't bid for that very reason. But, I guess if you have the money and the interest who am I to disagree.

Mike

It's no wonder the war lasted so long. Trying to capture these fortified positions was suicide. Those men ( from all countries ) were made of stern material!

Mike

Very nice. All it needs is an original medal presentation case from Garrard & Co.

Mike

Why did it take 30 years for Congress to award him this medal when there were 63 given for actions that day. This is the only thing that I do not understand about the award. Hindsight shouldn't be a criteria.

Mike

What provenance? I agree that it probably was authentic or I wouldn't have bid on it, but there was no Certificate of Authenticity or any other documentation linking it to Scrimger. And it was only the cardboard box that the Presentation Box came in. Nevertheless it was a great buy for the winner!

Mike

I was fortunate enough to meet Herman J. Good V.C. with my father here in our hometown of Bathurst, N.B. He was born in South Bathurst in 1888 and I watched his funeral in April, 1969. He never talked much about the war and his V.C. but I learned most of the details from his nieces and nephews. His brother was killed in front of him in Sept., 1916 just a few months after both had been taken on strength of the 13th Battalion, Royal Highlanders of Canada. The memories of the war haunted him for the rest of his life.

Mike

Uhhhhh, given the MINISCULE numbers of VCs awarded to date, and especially recently, this doesn't seem... rational to me that Commonwealth countries which must (sniff) not forebear to continue with "British" awards would keep the same system and the same names BUT boondoggle Separate-and-Distinct local versions--with whole new bureaucratic procedures and wildly different standards, one can only anticipate-- thus making a further mockery of the "same" decoration.

It's either a VC... or it ISN'T.

And Good God-- how many Victoria Crosses is Ottawa ever intending to hand out, given the squelching of combat decorations existing NOW?

Well said!

Oops! That should read " Pro Valore ". Not my first misspelling nor the last.

Mike

I'd give my right arm to be able to visit this exhibition. Just kidding ! It would be great though.

Mike

I am a proud Canadian and that includes all of our traditions, history, and heritage. The Victoria Cross ( Great Britain ) is one of these and I abhor the change from For Valour to Pro Valor. Our military history pre-dates the modernist sentiments and is something that we need cherish. My Grandfather was a WWI and WWII veteran and my father a WWII veteran and neither would have approved of the change. Just my humble opinion.

Mike

I own that particular Volume (two ) of " The Great War I Was There ". This is page 785. I was lucky enough to find it at a garage sale

Mike

Yesterday, April 25 2014, Capt. alex Scrimger's original cardboard Victoria Cross medal box, with 17" of period ribbon,sold for $1,580.55 U.S. on ebay. I placed a big bid but this is out of my limits. Wow!

Mike

I wish that we would have kept the original design " For Valour ", but it seems that tradition is taboo these days. At least our current Prime Minister is re-instituting the original ranking systems and Regimental names. My Grandfather was a Commanding Officer of the North Shore ( New Brunswick ) Regiment pre WWII which perpetuated the 132nd North Shore Battalion CEF. Back in the 50's they amalgamated several New Brunswick regiments into the Royal New Brunswick Regiment, much to the dismay of my Grandfather and all the other soldiers of this Regiment which landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. But what do politicians care?

I just asked, via email, a representative from Hancocks & Co. if the numbers on their Limited Edition V.C."s represent an individual and she replied "unfortunatley the numbers on the Replica Victoria Crosses, that Hancocks are producing, are only generic and do not represent an individual." So that answers the question about the significance of the number.

Mike