James Cleland Richardson VC

| November 3, 2022

Regina Trench, France: Action of 8 October 1916 GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when, prior to attack, he obtained permission from his Commanding Officer to play his company ‘over the top.’ As the company approached the objective, it was held up by very strong wire […]

Piper Findlater VC at the NAM

| October 28, 2022

George Findlater VC The National Army Museum (NAM) retains in its holdings some items related to Piper George Findlater who became a recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions 20 October 1897 at the Battle of the Dargai Heights. Included in the NAM’s collection is a silver-plated statuette, Findlater’s smashed bagpipe chanter from Dargai, […]

Scotland and the Victoria Cross: The Little Wars of Queen Victoria

| September 25, 2020

1860 – 1900 (excluding the Second Boer War 1899-1902) Following the Indian Mutiny or Sepoy Mutiny, British soldiers and sailors found themselves deeply involved in colonial battles across the British Empire. The “pink” of the globe was well known to students and diplomats of Empire, so too the gun and cannon of powerful, organized troops […]

Beach in Pourville

| August 18, 2020

Operation Jubilee When the 16th Battalion CEF formed at Valcartier in 1914 four drafts from Canadian Highland Regiments provided soldiers for this new battalion of this new Canadian army. They included men from the 50th Regiment (Gordon Highlanders) based in Victoria, B.C., the 72nd Regiment (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada) based in Vancouver, B.C., the 79th […]

Here Be Dragons

| November 8, 2019

Unsure of our bearings we rode… Observing the horizon I watch familiar church towers on the horizon drift back and forth in perspective. Distant…closer…always to our right or soon to be on our right. The roads meander here amongst the fields of battle and bounty. At times and without warning (no orange pylons here) the […]