Advices for Victoria Cross

[Alexander Wang]

Hi,gentlemen!

Now, I really need your help !

I'm an amateur editior in a military&insignia magazine in China. In the next month, we'll publish a widespread monograph about Victoria Cross. But until now, I'm very upset and anxious because there is a less number of books about VC in China,even in the national library. Also the informations from internet are incorrect and unilateral. So, I really need your advices about some reference books about VC, and buy them from ebay immediately!

I need the books which have more details about:

·History

·Medal

·Biography

·overall information about VC

Please give me some advices, Thank you very much,everyone !

Best wishes,

Alexander Wang

[Megan]

Hello, Alexander, and welcome!

I expect you've found http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ which is quite a comprehensive site. They have an extensive book list at http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/aabooks.htm - should give you a starting point.

Other useful sites are the Victoria Cross Society - http://www.victoriacrosssociety.com/ - and one at http://www.victoriacross.co.uk/ which is more of a personal quest to document award stories and research recipients.

You will find another book list here - http://www.war-art.com/books_on_vc's.htm - along with comments on each book so you can decide which will be most useful.

This is quite interesting - http://www.victoriacrossheroes.com/index.html - as you may have heard, in the UK there is a very wealthy and enthusiastic collectors of VCs called Lord Ashcroft, and this site is mostly about his collection.

Anything else you need, just ask.

[Alexander Wang]

Hi, Megan !

Well, there are so many helpful informations and I will write down them immadiately !

十分感谢！（Thank you very much !）

And as you know, British medals are not familiar to us, we Chinese, but I still have a great interest in it.

In fact, British Medal System(Sorry, I don't know how to explain it ) made us feel complex and unfathomable, so what you idea about the general attitude towards British medals?

Alex

[Megan]

Hello again, Alex.

Like most nations' medal systems, the UK one breaks down into:

* Awards for bravery - in combat or in everyday life

* Awards for meritorious service or achievement

* Awards for 'just being there' - campaign service medals

* Awards for long service

* Awards marking general occasions - such as Royal coronations/anniversaries

Being a monarchy, there is a subset of meritorious service awards for service rendered directly to the sovereign.

In the UK, there are 'Orders of Knighthood' which are almost exclusively awarded for meritorious service/achievement. Decorations are generally awarded for acts of bravery, a few can be awarded for other achievements. Medals are given for participation in military actions, or for long service - mainly in a 'uniformed service,' that is the armed forces, police, and emergency services (ambulance and fire).

It just looks complex, as there are things like different branches of the armed services having their own award for doing a thing, a different award based on the rank of the recipient rather than what he's done (something that was reduced considerably during the 1990s), and the like.

You might care to visit my site to get an overview of the whole system.

Edited August 28, 2010 by Megan