Victoria Cross Heroes: Difference between revisions

*Victoria Cross Heroes*
Victoria Cross Heroes
Genre	Docudrama
Written by	Nicholas White; Steven Clarke; Mary McMurray;
Directed by	Nicholas White; Steven Clarke; Mary McMurray;
Presented by	Charles, Prince of Wales
Starring	Martin Delaney; Tom Hiddleston; Chris Rankin;
Voices of	Crispin Bonham-Carter
Narrated by	Kenneth Cranham
Composer	Tom Escott
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	3
Production
Executive producers	Peter Georgi; Mark Souster;
Producer	Steven Clarke
Running time	60 minutes
Original release
Network	Five
Release	19 November –; 3 December 2006

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 20:43, 21 January 2024

Victoria Cross Heroes is a three-part television UK docudrama recipients first broadcast by Channel 5 in 2006 that tells the stories of some of the recipients of the Victoria Cross.

Production

The series was commissioned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross in 2006.

It was produced in association with Lord Ashcroft and the Ashcroft VC Collection, which is the largest collection of its kind in the world.

Former British soldier and noted military historian Richard Holmes acted as historical advisor to the series.

Episodes

Episode one: The Modern Age

The Prince of Wales introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who have been awarded the Victoria Cross through the 60 years from World War II to the Iraq War, including the most recent recipient, Private Johnson Beharry.

Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski lost his life attempting to rescue his friend from a burning Avro Lancaster.
British Army Captain John Randle lost his life taking an enemy bunker at the Battle of Kohima.
Royal Navy mini-submarine commander Lieutenant Ian Fraser and diver James Magennis destroyed an enemy cruiser.
British Army Private Bill Speakman was wounded leading charges to hold back an advancing enemy platoon in Korea.
Gurkha Rifles Lance Corporal Rambahadur Limbu captured enemy prisoners in a nighttime raid in Sarawak.
Australian Army Training Team Warrant Officer Keith Payne was wounded covering the retreat of a native unit in Vietnam.
British Parachute Regiment Lieutenant Colonel 'H'. Jones and Sergeant Ian McKay lost their lives in assaults against enemy positions during the Falklands War.
British Army Private Johnson Beharry was wounded rescuing the crew of his Warrior in two separate ambushes in Iraq.

Performers

Crispin Bonham-Carter as Voice of the Gazette
Peter Ormond as Pat Brophy
Andy Pilgrim as Andrew Mynarski
Tom Hiddleston as John Randle
Martin Delaney as Ian Fraser
Rob William as James Magennis
Frank McCusker as Voice of James Magennis
Yo Santhaveesuk as Rambahadur Limbu
Andrew Josh as Machine Gunner
Alex Liang as Machine Gunner
David Seymour as Ian McKay
James Hayward as Lt. Bickerdyke

Participants

Lord Ashcroft, KCMG
Johnson Beharry, VC (Iraq, 2005)
Major Alastair Brooks, MC
Richard Deane, MC
Dave Falconer, MC
Richard Holmes, CBE, TD, JP
Rambahadur Limbu, VC, MVO (Borneo, 1965)
Jim Magennis (Son of James Magennis, VC)
Kit Maunsell, MC
Freda McKay (Mother of Ian McKay, VC)
Keith Payne, VC, OAM (Vietnam, 1969)
John Randle (Son of John Randle, VC)
Frankie Randle (Grandson of John Randle, VC)
Bill Speakman, VC (Korea, 1951)

Episode 2: The Great War

Charles, Prince of Wales, introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who were awarded the Victoria Cross during World War I when over 630, nearly half of all the awards ever given, were earned.

Royal Fusiliers Lieutenant Maurice Dease and Private Sid Godley defended Nimy Bridge from invaders at Mons, Belgium.
Indian Army Lieutenant Jackie Smyth carried ammo to a captured enemy trench in France.
Australian Imperial Force Lance Corporal Albert Jacka single-handedly recaptured a trench during the Battle of Gallipoli.
Royal Navy Commander Loftus Jones and Boy (First Class) Jack Cornwell lost their lives at the Battle of Jutland.
Royal Irish Rifles Private Billy McFadzean sacrificed his life jumping on an accidentally dropped grenade at the Battle of the Somme.
Medical Officer Captain Noel Chavasse awarded double VC rescuing wounded from battlefields at the Somme and Passchendaele.
Royal Flying Corps fighter pilot Lieutenant William Leefe-Robinson shot down a Zeppelin in an aerial battle over London.
British Army Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrith Elstob lost his life defending the Manchester Redoubt to the last man.

Performers

Crispin Bonham-Carter as Voice of the Gazette
Felix Scott as Sid Godley
Ifan Meredith as Noel Chavasse
Tony Bignell as Jack Cornwell
William de Coverly as Jackie Smyth
Mackenzie Scott as Albert Jacka
Gino Fiorellino as Loftus Jones
Tom Davey as William Leefe-Robinson
Anthony English as Stretcher Bearer
Steven Shapland as Chaplain
Jeremy Gardiner as Doctor

Participants

Richard Holmes, CBE, TD, JP (Historian)
Michael Naxton (Curator, The Ashcroft VC Collection)

Episode 3: The Empire

The Prince of Wales, introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who have were awarded the Victoria Cross during the early years from its introduction by Queen Victoria during the Crimean War as a democratic award open to all soldiers for extreme acts of bravery to the Boer War when it had been recognised as the most famous gallantry award in the world.

Royal Navy Captain William Peel and Midshipman Edward St John Daniel distinguished at the Siege of Sebastopol among first recipients.
British Army Lieutenant William Raynor and John Buckley defended the Red Fort during the Siege of Delhi.
Royal Navy Able Seaman William Hall single-handedly operated the cannon that breached the walls at the Siege of Lucknow.
British cavalry officer Evelyn Wood who had fought alongside Peel and Daniel rescued a British informer from captors in India.
Valentine Bambrick falsely accused of stealing a colleague's medals commits suicide prior to having his own VC stripped.
British Army Lieutenant John Chard, Private Harry Hook and Private Fred Hitch defended the station at Rorke's Drift.
Captain Harry Schofield, Lieutenant Freddie Roberts, Captain Walter Congreve and Private George Ravenhill rescued field artillery at the Battle of Colenso.

Performers

Phil Lowes as Lt. Freddie Roberts
Alan Larsen as Cpt. Harry Schofield
Mark Selwood as Cpl Nurse
David Bark-Jones as Peel
Dominic Borrelli as Hook
Roderic Culver as Chard
Simon Delaney as Hitch
Jamie Piggott as Daniel
Chris Rankin as Wood

Participants

Richard Holmes, CBE, TD, JP (Historian)
Michael Naxton (Curator, The Ashcroft VC Collection)

Companion book

The 2006 companion book to the series written Lord Ashcroft tells the stories of over 150 VC winners individuals whose medals are in his collection and those whose stories feature in the television series with each chapter covering on a different conflict.

Selected editions

Ashcroft, Michael (6 November 2006). Victoria Cross Heroes: Men of Valour. Headline Book Publishing (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-7553-1632-8.
Ashcroft, Michael (3 May 2007). Victoria Cross Heroes: Men of Valour. Headline Review (paperback). ISBN 978-0-7553-1633-5.

References

External links

Victoria Cross Heroes website including clips from the series
Victoria Cross Heroes at IMDb

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Film}}
+{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
 {{Infobox television
-|show_name      = Victoria Cross Heroes
+| image                =
-|image          =
+| caption              =
-|caption        =
+| genre                = [[Docudrama]]
-|genre          = [[Docudrama]]
+| creator              =
+| writer               = {{unbulleted list  | [[Nicholas White (television)|Nicholas White]] | [[Steven Clarke (television)|Steven Clarke]] | [[Mary McMurray]] }}
-|creator        =
-|writer         = {{unbulleted list  | [[Nicholas White (television)|Nicholas White]] | [[Steven Clarke (television)|Steven Clarke]] | [[Mary McMurray]] }}
+| director             = {{unbulleted list  | Nicholas White | Steven Clarke | Mary McMurray }}
+| developer            =
-|director       = {{unbulleted list  | Nicholas White | Steven Clarke | Mary McMurray }}
+| presenter            = [[Charles, Prince of Wales]]
-|developer      =
+| starring             = {{unbulleted list | [[Martin Delaney (actor)|Martin Delaney]] | [[Tom Hiddleston]] | [[Chris Rankin]] }}
-|presenter      = [[Charles, Prince of Wales]]
+| voices               = [[Crispin Bonham-Carter]]
-|starring       = {{unbulleted list | [[Martin Delaney (actor)|Martin Delaney]] | [[Tom Hiddleston]] | [[Chris Rankin]] }}
-|voices         = [[Crispin Bonham-Carter]]
+| narrated             = [[Kenneth Cranham]]
+| theme_music_composer =
-|narrated       = [[Kenneth Cranham]]
+| opentheme            =
-|theme_music_composer =
-|opentheme      =
+| endtheme             =
-|endtheme       =
+| composer             = [[Tom Escott]]
-|composer       = [[Tom Escott]]
+| country              = United Kingdom
-|country        = [[United Kingdom]]
+| num_seasons          =
+| num_episodes         = 3
-|language       = [[English language|English]]
+| list_episodes        = <!--// Production-specific //-->
-|num_seasons    =
+| executive_producer   = {{unbulleted list | Peter Georgi | Mark Souster }}
-|num_episodes   = 3
+| producer             = Steven Clarke
-|list_episodes  =
+| editor               =
-<!--// Production-specific //-->
-|distributor    =
+| cinematography       =
+| camera               =
-|executive_producer  = {{unbulleted list | Peter Georgi | Mark Souster }}
-|producer       = Steven Clarke
+| runtime              = 60 minutes
-|editor         =
-|location       =
-|cinematography =
-|camera   =
-|runtime        = 60 minutes
 <!--// Broadcast-specific //-->
-|channel        = [[Five (channel)|Five]]
+| channel              = [[Five (channel)|Five]]
+| first_aired          = {{start date|2006|11|19|df=y}}
-|picture_format =
+| last_aired           = {{end date|2006|12|3|df=y}}
-|audio_format   =
-|first_run      =
-|first_aired    = November 19, 2006
-|last_aired     = December 3, 2006
 <!--// Chronology //-->
+| related              = <!--// External links //-->
-|preceded_by    =
-|followed_by    =
-|related        =
-<!--// External links //-->
-|website        = http://www.five.tv/programmes/victoriacross/
-|production_website   = http://www.victoriacrossheroes.com/index.html
 }}
-'''''Victoria Cross Heroes''''' is a three-part television UK [[docudrama]] recipients  first broadcast by [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] in [[2006 in television|2006]] that tells the stories of some of the recipients of the [[Victoria Cross]].
+'''''Victoria Cross Heroes''''' is a three-part television UK [[docudrama]] recipients first broadcast by [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] in 2006 that tells the stories of some of the recipients of the [[Victoria Cross]].
 ==Production==
@@ Line 61: / Line 51: @@
 * Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot Officer [[Andrew Mynarski]] lost his life attempting to rescue his friend from a burning [[Avro Lancaster]].
-* British Army Captain [[John Neil Randle|Jack Randle]] lost his life taking an enemy machine gun nest at the [[Battle of Kohima]].
+* British Army Captain [[John Neil Randle|John Randle]] lost his life taking an enemy bunker at the [[Battle of Kohima]].
 * Royal Navy mini-submarine commander Lieutenant [[Ian Edward Fraser|Ian Fraser]] and diver [[James Magennis]] destroyed an enemy cruiser.
 * British Army Private [[Bill Speakman]] was wounded leading charges to hold back an advancing enemy platoon in [[Korean War|Korea]].
@@ Line 107: / Line 97: @@
 Charles, Prince of Wales, introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who were awarded the Victoria Cross during [[World War I]] when over 630, nearly half of all the awards ever given, were earned.
-* [[Royal Fusiliers]] Lieutenant [[Maurice James Dease|Marurice Dease]] and Private [[Sidney Godley|Sid Godley]] defended Nimy Bridge from invaders at [[Mons]], [[Belgium]].
+* [[Royal Fusiliers]] Lieutenant [[Maurice James Dease|Maurice Dease]] and Private [[Sidney Godley|Sid Godley]] defended Nimy Bridge from invaders at [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]], Belgium.
 * [[Indian Army]] Lieutenant [[Jackie Smyth]] carried ammo to a captured enemy trench in France.
-* [[First Australian Imperial Force|Australian Imperial Force]] Lance Corporal [[Albert Jacka]] single-handedly recaptured a trench at [[Battle of Gallipoli]].
+* [[First Australian Imperial Force|Australian Imperial Force]] Lance Corporal [[Albert Jacka]] single-handedly recaptured a trench during the [[Battle of Gallipoli]].
 * Royal Navy Commander [[Loftus Jones]] and Boy (First Class) [[Jack Cornwell]] lost their lives at the [[Battle of Jutland]].
-* [[Royal Irish Rifles]] Private [[Billy McFadzean]] sacrificed his life falling on an accidentally dropped grenade at the [[Battle of the Somme]].
+* [[Royal Irish Rifles]] Private [[Billy McFadzean]] sacrificed his life jumping on an accidentally dropped grenade at the [[Battle of the Somme]].
 * Medical Officer Captain [[Noel Chavasse]] awarded double VC rescuing wounded from battlefields at the Somme and [[Battle of Passchendaele|Passchendaele]].
-* [[Royal Flying Corps]] fighter pilot Lieutenant [[William Leefe-Robinson]] shot down a [[Zeppelin]] in an aerial battle over [[London]].
+* [[Royal Flying Corps]] fighter pilot Lieutenant [[William Leefe-Robinson]] shot down a [[Zeppelin]] in an aerial battle over London.
 * British Army Lieutenant Colonel [[Wilfrith Elstob]] lost his life defending the Manchester Redoubt to the last man.
@@ Line 123: / Line 113: @@
 * [[Felix Scott]] as Sid Godley
 * [[Ifan Meredith]] as Noel Chavasse
-* [[Tony Bignell]] as Jack Cornwell
+* Tony Bignell as Jack Cornwell
 * [[William de Coverly]] as Jackie Smyth
-* [[Mackenzie Scott]] as Albert Jacka
+* [[Mackenzie Scott (actor)|Mackenzie Scott]] as Albert Jacka
 * [[Gino Fiorellino]] as Loftus Jones
 * [[Tom Davey (actor)|Tom Davey]] as William Leefe-Robinson
@@ Line 134: / Line 124: @@
 ====Participants====
-* Richard Holmes,  CBE, TD, JP (Historian)
+* Richard Holmes, CBE, TD, JP (Historian)
 * Michael Naxton (Curator, The Ashcroft VC Collection)
 |}
@@ Line 141: / Line 131: @@
 The Prince of Wales, introduces the stories of some of the servicemen who have were awarded the Victoria Cross during the early years from its introduction by [[Queen Victoria]] during the [[Crimean War]] as a democratic award open to all soldiers for extreme acts of bravery to the [[Boer War]] when it had been recognised as the most famous gallantry award in the world.
-*Royal Navy Captain [[William Peel (Royal Navy officer)|William Peel]] and Midshipman [[Edward St John Daniel]] distinguished at the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)|Siege of Sebastopol]] among first recipients.
+* Royal Navy Captain [[William Peel (Royal Navy officer)|William Peel]] and Midshipman [[Edward St John Daniel]] distinguished at the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)|Siege of Sebastopol]] among first recipients.
-*British Army Lieutenant [[William Raynor]] and [[John Buckley (soldier)|John Buckley]] defended the [[Red Fort]] during the [[Siege of Delhi]].
+* British Army Lieutenant [[William Raynor]] and [[John Buckley (soldier)|John Buckley]] defended the [[Red Fort]] during the [[Siege of Delhi]].
-*Royal Navy Able Seaman [[William Hall (VC)|William Hall]] single-handedly operated the cannon that breached the walls at the [[Siege of Lucknow]].
+* Royal Navy Able Seaman [[William Hall (VC)|William Hall]] single-handedly operated the cannon that breached the walls at the [[Siege of Lucknow]].
-*British cavalry officer [[Evelyn Wood (British Army officer)|Evelyn Wood]] who had fought alongside Peel and Daniel rescued a British informer from captors in India.
+* British cavalry officer [[Evelyn Wood (British Army officer)|Evelyn Wood]] who had fought alongside Peel and Daniel rescued a British informer from captors in India.
-*[[Valentine Bambrick]] falsely accused of stealing a colleague’s medals commits suicide prior to having his own VC stripped.
+* [[Valentine Bambrick]] falsely accused of stealing a colleague's medals commits suicide prior to having his own VC stripped.
-*British Army Lieuenant [[John Chard]], Private [[Alfred Henry Hook|Harry Hook]] and Private [[Frederick Hitch|Fred Hitch]] defended the station at [[Rorke's Drift]].
+* British Army Lieutenant [[John Chard]], Private [[Alfred Henry Hook|Harry Hook]] and Private [[Frederick Hitch|Fred Hitch]] defended the station at [[Rorke's Drift]].
-*Captain [[Harry Norton Schofield|Harry Schofield]], Lieutenant [[Frederick Hugh Sherston Roberts|Freddie Roberts]], Captain [[Walter Congreve]] and Private [[George Ravenhill]] rescued field artillery at the [[Battle of Colenso]].
+* Captain [[Harry Norton Schofield|Harry Schofield]], Lieutenant [[Frederick Roberts (British Army officer)|Freddie Roberts]], Captain [[Walter Congreve]] and Private [[George Ravenhill]] rescued field artillery at the [[Battle of Colenso]].
 {| width="100%" |
@@ Line 170: / Line 160: @@
 ==Companion book==
-The [[2006 in literature|2006]] companion book to the series written Lord Ashcroft tells the stories of over 150 VC winners individuals whose medals are in his collection and those whose stories feature in the television series with each chapter covering on a different conflict.
+The 2006 companion book to the series written Lord Ashcroft tells the stories of over 150 VC winners individuals whose medals are in his collection and those whose stories feature in the television series with each chapter covering on a different conflict.
 ===Selected editions===
 * {{cite book
- | date  = Nov 6, 2006
+ | date = 6 November 2006
  | title = Victoria Cross Heroes: Men of Valour
  | last = Ashcroft
@@ Line 180: / Line 170: @@
  | publisher = Headline Book Publishing (hardcover)
  | isbn = 978-0-7553-1632-8
+ | url-access = registration
-}}
+ | url = https://archive.org/details/victoriacrossher0000ashc
+ }}
 * {{cite book
- | date  = May 3, 2007
+ | date  = 3 May 2007
  | title = Victoria Cross Heroes: Men of Valour
  | last = Ashcroft
@@ Line 197: / Line 189: @@
 * {{IMDb title|0918370|Victoria Cross Heroes}}
-[[Category:2006 British television programme debuts]]
+[[Category:2006 British television series debuts]]
-[[Category:2006 British television programme endings]]
+[[Category:2006 British television series endings]]
-[[Category:2000s British television series]]
+[[Category:Channel 5 (British TV channel) original programming]]
-[[Category:Channel 5 (UK) television programmes]]
-[[Category:Docudrama television series]]
 [[Category:Victoria Cross]]
+[[Category:British television docudramas]]