List of Victoria Crosses by school
The Victoria Cross has been awarded 1,358 times to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command.[1] This list however only shows 317 winners. The awards were mainly to alumni of non-state schools. More than thirty schools are known to have educated more than one VC recipient. Only six of the schools with more than one VC recipient are state schools (Dudley Public School, George Mitchell School, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys, Royal Grammar School High Wycombe, Royal High School Edinburgh and Wimbledon College).
"Although the terms of the creation of the VC emphasised that it was open to both services and to all ranks, it is clear that there is a numerical bias towards officers and NCOs"[2] as "War was an aristocratic trade and military glory reserved for Nobles and princes".[3] Also, education only became compulsory in the UK in the 1870s, and secondary education only some time later, so many private soldiers who won the Victoria Cross in the past may never have gone to school, or never gone to secondary school (see British Army during the Victorian Era).
Four schools educated the only three boys who went on to win the Victoria Cross and Bar, Christ's College, Canterbury, New Zealand (Charles Upham), Magdalen College School/Liverpool College (Noel Godfrey Chavasse) and Westminster School (Arthur Martin-Leake). The bars are included as separate awards in the columns of the table.
The order of the schools is by the number of Victoria Crosses received.
Victoria Crosses by school and campaign
Summary
Recipient detail | Total | Crimean War | Persian War | Indian Mutiny | New Zealand Wars | 1860-1878 | Zulu War | Second Afghan War | 1879 - 1900 (excl. Boer War) | South African War (Boer War) | 1902-1905 | First World War | 1919 to 1935 | Second World War | post WW2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Victoria Crosses awarded | 1358 | 111 | 3 | 182 | 15 | 32 | 23 | 16 | 54 | 78 | 8 | 629 | 10 | 182 | 15 |
Number of recipients identified by school | 400 | 11 | 1 | 35 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 21 | 33 | 5 | 184 | 5 | 64 | 10 |
Recipients whose school is yet to be identified | 959 | 100 | 2 | 147 | 13 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 33 | 45 | 3 | 445 | 5 | 118 | 5 |
Notes and references
- ↑ "Victoria Cross registers 1856-1944". The National Archives. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ Images of the army: the military in British art, 1815-1914 By Joan Winifred Martin Hichberger
- ↑ The Reason Why: The Story of the Fatal Charge…by Cecil Woodham-Smith
- ↑ Eton College: Source = Eton College Website.
- ↑ Eton College Recipients: see List of notable Old Etonians in the Military#Victoria Cross and George Cross Holders.
- ↑ Harrow School: Source = Harrow School website - History.
- ↑ Harrow School Recipients: see List of notable Old Harrovians#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Haileybury and Imperial Service College: Source = Haileybury College Archives - Roll of Honour.
- ↑ Haileybury College Recipients: see Haileybury and Imperial Service College#Victoria Cross and George Cross holders. Please note: (a) The count for Haileybury includes the VC recipients of Haileybury's antecedent schools which are made up of the East India College, the United Services College and also the Imperial Service College. (b) The number of VC recipients can arguably be increased to 18 because one of the school masters also received a VC for an act performed during the First World War.
- ↑ Wellington College: Source = Wellington College, (2007), Wellington Prospectus, page 11, (Wellington College:Trade Winds).
- ↑ Wellington College Recipients: see List of notable Old Wellingtonians#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Cheltenham College: Source = Michael Croke Morgan, (1968), Cheltenham College: The First Hundred Years, page 219, (published for the Cheltonian Society by Sadler).
- ↑ Cheltenham College Recipients: see Cheltenham College#Victoria Crosses won by Old Cheltonians.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Note that the total number represented here is based upon the summation of the number of Victoria Crosses that have been verified as having been received by alumni of the school. A citation is missing for a verified total figure.
- ↑ Marlborough College Recipients: see List of notable Old Marlburians#Victoria Cross and George Cross holders.
- ↑ Edinburgh Academy : Source = Edinburgh Academy Website - VC Holders.
- ↑ Edinburgh Academy Recipients: see Edinburgh Academy#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Clifton College: Source = Bland, R.L., Clifton's V.C.s, Old Cliftonian Society, pages 57 - 60 .
- ↑ Clifton College Recipients: see Clifton College#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Dulwich College : Source = Old Alleynian website.
- ↑ Dulwich College Recipients: see List of notable Old Alleynians#Victoria Cross and George Cross holders.
- ↑ Stonyhurst College: Source = From Stonyhurst College Website.
- ↑ Stonyhurst College Recipients: see List of Stonyhurst Alumni#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Westminster School: Source = Development Office of Westminster School, (2005), The Elizabethan Newsletter 2004/2005, page 4, (Westminster School) .
- ↑ Westminster School Recipients: see Westminster School#Victoria Cross holders. Please note that despite having 7 VCs awarded to its alumni, there are only 6 individual recipients, because Westminster School has amongst its alumni Arthur Martin-Leake, one of only three men to have been awarded the VC twice (i.e. the VC with Bar).
- ↑ Westminster School Recipient: Arthur Martin-Leake(1874–1953) awarded a VC during the Second Boer War and Bar during World War I
- ↑ Winchester College Recipients: see List of notable Old Wykehamists#Victoria Cross and George Cross holders.
- ↑ Bedford School Recipients: see Bedford School#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Bromsgrove School: Source = Nicholas Lovell , (1996), V.C.s of Bromsgrove School : : the stories of five Victoria Crosses won by old Bromsgrovians , (ISBN 0-9521362-3-6 / 0952136236).
- ↑ Bromsgrove School Recipients: see Bromsgrove School#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ King's College School, Wimbledon Recipients: see King's College School#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Sherborne School: Source = Old Shirburnian Editorial Team, (2004), The OS Record, pages 20-21 , (Shelleys The Printers, Sherborne).
- ↑ Sherborne School Recipients: see Sherborne School#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Uppingham School Recipients: see Uppingham School#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Victoria College, Jersey : Source = Editorial Team, Société Jersiaise, (Autumn 2006), Société Jersiaise Newsletter, vol.45, page 7, (Société Jersiaise: Jersey) .
- ↑ Victoria College, Jersey Recipients: see Victoria College, Jersey#Victoria Cross recipients.
- ↑ Sedbergh School: Source = Sedbergh School Website.
- ↑ Sedbergh School Recipients: see Sedbergh School#Military.
- ↑ Elizabeth College, Guernsey
- ↑ Elizabeth College, Guernsey Recipients: see Elizabeth College, Guernsey#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Christ's Hospital: Source = Christ's Hospital Association.
- ↑ Christ's Hospital Recipients: see List of notable Christ's Hospital Old Blues#Victoria Cross and George Cross Holders.
- ↑ Clongowes Wood College Recipients: see Clongowes Wood College#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Fettes College : Source = Old Fettesian Association, (January 2004), Old Fettesian Newsletter, Number 46, (Old Fettesian Association) .
- ↑ Fettes College Recipients: see Fettes College#Famous Old Fettesians.
- ↑ Liverpool College :
- ↑ Liverpool College Recipients: For details of the recipients and the campaigns in which they won their VCs please see Liverpool College#Victoria Cross holders.
- 1 2 "George Watson's College: An Illustrated History", pp. 77-78.
- ↑ Charterhouse School Recipients: see Charterhouse School#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Framlingham College: Source = www.oldframlinghamian.com.
- ↑ Framlingham College Recipients: see Framlingham College#Victoria Cross and George Cross Holders.
- ↑ King William's College : Source = Michael Hoy, (2006), A Blessing to this Island.
- ↑ King William's College Recipients: see King William's College#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood Recipients: see Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Brown, Gordon (2009). Wartime Courage: Stories of Extraordinary Courage by Exceptional Men and Women in World War Two. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 11, 141. ISBN 978-0747597414.
- ↑ Harries, R.; Cattermole, P.; Mackintosh, P. (1991). A History of Norwich School: King Edward VI's Grammar School at Norwich. Norwich: Friends of Norwich School. ISBN 978-0-9518561-1-6.
- ↑ Oundle School: Source = The Oundle Society Editorial Team, (Spring 2006), The Oundle Society Spring Newsletter, page 7, (The Oundle Society) .
- ↑ Oundle School Recipients:
- ↑ Royal High School (Edinburgh): Source = William C. A. Ross (ed.), 1914-1918 Roll of Honour of the Royal High School of Edinburgh (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1920), pp. 5, 88, Additional Names (1922), p. 12; J. B. Barclay, The Tounis Scule: The Royal High School of Edinburgh (Edinburgh: The Royal High School Club, 1974), pp. 76-7.
- ↑ Royal High School (Edinburgh) Recipients: see Royal High School (Edinburgh)#Military and civil honours.
- ↑ St Bees School Recipients: see History of St. Bees School#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ St Paul's School (London): Source = Pauline Magazine No.239, (June 1918), page 59 and 64 and 71.
- ↑ St Paul's School (London) Recipients: see St Paul's School (London)#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ The King's School, Canterbury: Source = www.kings-school.co.uk.
- ↑ The King's School, Canterbury Recipients: see List of notable Old King's Scholars#Victoria Cross.
- ↑ The Portsmouth Grammar School : Source = TO BE CONFIRMED.
- ↑ The Portsmouth Grammar School Recipients: see The Portsmouth Grammar School#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Melbourne Grammar School Recipients: William Donovan Joynt and William Ellis Newton. See also Melbourne Grammar#Notable alumni
- ↑ Wimbledon College Recipients: see Wimbledon College#Notable alumni.
- ↑ Berkhamsted Collegiate School Recipients: see Berkhamsted Collegiate School#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Campbell College, Belfast: Source = Edmund De Wind, William John English
- ↑ Carnoustie High School, Carnoustie: Source = Charles Jarvis (VC), George McKenzie Samson
- ↑ Dover College:
- ↑ Dover College Recipients: see Dover College.
- ↑ Dudley Public School Recipients: "Jeffries and Currey Memorial Library". Jeffries and Currey Memorial Library. NSW Government. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ↑ Eastbourne College: Source = Webster F.A.M., (1937), Our Great Public Schools, (Butler & Tanner: London).
- ↑ Eastbourne College Recipients: see Eastbourne College#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ Felsted School: Source = Craze , M.R.., History of Felsted School (1564-1947), pages 200 and 247.
- ↑ List of Old Malvernians: Source =
- ↑ Rossall School Recipients: Brigadier George Rowland Patrick Roupell and Captain George S. Henderson
- ↑ Royal Grammar School Recipients: Ian Edward Fraser and Frederick Youens, vide The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- ↑ St. Andrew's College (Grahamstown, South Africa): Source = Edmund Burke, (1917), Annual Register, page 171, (Rivingtons)
Ronald Fairbridge Currey, (1955), St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, 1855-1955, page 117, (Blackwell). - ↑ St. Andrew's College (Grahamstown, South Africa) Recipients: see St. Andrew's College (Grahamstown, South Africa)#Victoria Cross Holders.
- ↑ St Peter's College, Adelaide Recipients: Arthur Seaforth Blackburn (1892 - 1960) and Guy George Egerton Wylly (1880 - 1962)
- ↑ Stowe School Recipients: Leonard Cheshire VC (1917-1992) and Major Jack Anderson (1918-1943)
- ↑ Upper Canada College Recipients: Alexander Roberts Dunn and Harvey, David (1999). Monuments to courage : victoria cross headstones and memorials. Vol.1, 1854-1916. K & K Patience. OCLC 59437297.
- 1 2 Magdalen College School Recipients: Noel Godfrey Chavasse VC and Bar
- 1 2 Christ's College Recipients: Charles Upham (1908–1994), Captain, VC and Bar
- ↑ George Mitchell School : Source = VC placed in care of Regimental Museum and Royal Naval Museum - John Cornwell Biography
- ↑ George Mitchell School Recipients: see George Mitchell School#Victoria Cross holders.
- ↑ Shrewsbury School: Source =
- ↑ Shrewsbury School Recipients: Thomas Tannatt Pryce and Harold Ackroyd. The total number of VCs recipients for this school has not been confirmed.
- ↑ Bancroft's School: Source = Plaques Commemorating the Two Bancroftians who were awarded the Victoria Cross.
- ↑ Bancroft's School Recipients: see Bancroft's School#Notable alumni.
- ↑ Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet : Source = TO BE CONFIRMED.
- ↑ Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet Recipients: see Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet#Notable old boys.
- ↑ George Godfrey Massy Wheeler
- ↑ All Saints College, Bathurst Recipients: Arthur Charles Hall (1896 - 1978)
- ↑ "George Heriot's School: Roll of Honour, 1914-1919":David Stuart McGregor (1895-1918)
- ↑ Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) Recipients:
- ↑ Bishop Cotton Boys' School, Bangalore Recipients: William Leefe Robinson (1895 - 1918) - refer Bishop Cotton Boys' School#The Armed Forces
- ↑ Royal Military College of Canada Recipients: Billy Bishop
- ↑ Avonport Schools Recipients: William Hall (1827–1904), sailor. Refer James W. Bancroft, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ Barnard Castle School Recipients: George Nicholson Bradford (1887–1918).
- ↑ Caulfield Grammar School Recipients: Robert Cuthbert Grieve (1889 - 1957)
- ↑ Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham Recipients: John Bernard Mackey (1922 - 1945)
- ↑ Frederick Albert Tilston
- ↑
- Falcon, Lionel (2002), Hilton Heritage, Johannesburg: Stirling Publications, ISBN 0-620-29381-0
- ↑ Selborne College Recipients: Gerard Norton (1915 - 2005)
- ↑ Saint Joseph's Technical College, Abbotsford (previously Christian Brothers' School in Abbotsford) Recipients: Maurice Buckley
- ↑ City of London School Recipients: Theodore Bayley Hardy (1863–1918), army chaplain. Refer N. T. A. Cave, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ Edgeborough School Recipients: Wilfred St Aubyn Malleson. Refer Wilfred St Aubyn Malleson in Gallippoli by Stephen Snelling. (Alan Sutton, 1995.)
- ↑ Epsom College Recipients: Roland Boys Bradford (1892–1917), army officer. Refer Lesley Collins, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ Hamblin and Porter's School Recipients: James Williams Adams (1839–1903), army chaplain. Refer H. M. Vibart & James Falkner, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ Hurlstone Agricultural High School Recipients: John Hurst Edmondson (1914 - 1941), soldier. Refer Ian Grant, Australian Dictionary of Biography (Melbourne University Press, 1996)
- ↑ Kingswood School Recipients: Hardy Falconer Parsons (1887-1917), Second Lieutenant. Refer Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register, Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery and William Job Maillard (1863-1903)
- ↑ Magnus Grammar School: Source = Gonville Bromhead.
- ↑ Magnus Grammar School Recipients: The total number of VCs recipients for this school has not been confirmed.
- ↑ Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute Recipients: William Avery [Billy] Bishop (1894–1956), air force officer and businessman. Refer Marc Milner, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ Prince Alfred College recipients: Hugo Vivian Hope Throssell (1884 - 1933). Refer Suzanne Welborn, Australian Dictionary of Biography (Melbourne University Press, 1983)
- ↑ Pulteney Grammar School Recipients: Arthur Seaforth Blackburn (1892 - 1960). Refer R. A. Blackburn, Australian Dictionary of Biography (Melbourne University Press, 1979)
- ↑ Royal Naval School Recipients: Sir Garrett O'Moore Creagh (1848–1923), army officer. Refer C. V. Owen and Rev. T. R. Moreman, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ Royal Naval College Recipients: Sir Victor Alexander Charles Crutchley (1893–1986), naval officer. Refer Paul G. Halpern in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ St Dunstan's College, Catford Recipients: Frederick Henry Johnson (1890-1917). Refer Nigel Watson (1989), St Dunstan's College, A Centenary History (St Dunstan's Educational Foundation)
- ↑ St Edward's School, Oxford: Source = St Edward's School, Oxford Website.
- ↑ Saffron Walden Grammar School Recipients: Edward Mellish (1880-1962). Refer Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- ↑ Sydney Boys High School Recipients: Arthur Roden Cutler (1916 - 2002). Refer Register of War Memorials in New South Wales (NSW Government, 2008)
- ↑ The Hutchins School Recipients: Guy George Egerton Wylly (1880 - 1962) and Trooper John Bisdee (1869-1930)
- ↑ Trent College Recipients: Albert Ball (1896–1917). Refer David Gunby in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ University High School, Melbourne Recipients: Clifford William King Sadlier (1892–1964). Refer Merrilyn Lincoln in Australian Dictionary of Biography (Melbourne University Press, 1988)
- ↑ Walton Road School Recipients: Refer "John Travers Cornwell (1900–1916), naval hero" by Richard Davenport-Hines in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP, 2004)
- ↑ Waverley College Recipients: Refer "Thomas James Bede Kenny (1896–1953), soldier" by Matthew Higgins in Australian Dictionary of Biography (Melbourne University Press, 1983)
- ↑ Wellington School, Timperley (then Wellington Boys' County Secondary School) Recipients: Refer Private William Speakman (born 1927), 4 November 1951 in Korea (Manchester Evening News)
- ↑ Wesley College, Melbourne Recipients: Refer "Robert Cuthbert Grieve (1889–1957), soldier" by Darryl McIntyre in Australian Dictionary of Biography (Melbourne University Press, 1983)
- ↑ Well done S. Thomas’ Esto perpetua, By T. D. S. A. Dissanayaka
- ↑ Gravesend Grammar School (then The County School for Boys, Gravesend) Recipients: Squadron Leader Robert Anthony Maurice Palmer VC DFC & Bar (1920-1944).
- ↑ Dorrigo High School Recipients: Trooper Mark Donaldson VC (1979- ). (Donaldson was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia)
- ↑ King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon Recipients: Flight Sub-Lieutenant Rex Warneford VC (1893-1915).
- ↑ Bristol Grammar School: Source = TO BE CONFIRMED.
- ↑ Bristol Grammar School Recipients: see Bristol Grammar School#Old Bristolians.
- ↑ Parker, John (2005). The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7553-1415-7, p. 195.
- ↑ Ampleforth College Recipient: Michael Allmand (1923–1944).
- ↑ St. Lawrence College Recipients: Frank Crowther Roberts
- ↑ http://www.wilsonsschool.sutton.sch.uk/about/ow/index.html
- ↑ Harold Auten
- ↑ Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School
- ↑ Roll of Honour
- ↑ Alfred Cecil Herring from Max Arthur, Symbol of Courage: The Men Behind the Medal, p320, Pan Macmillan, 2005, ISBN 0330491334, 9780330491334
- 1 2 Horace Martineau from Max Arthur, Symbol of Courage: The Men Behind the Medal, p320, Pan Macmillan, 2005, ISBN 0330491334, 9780330491334
- ↑ James Ashworth
- ↑ Town's TA barracks renamed in honour of Victoria Cross soldier, by This is Scunthorpe, April 12, 2011
- ↑ Ian McKay
- ↑ James Leith (VC) and William Manley
- ↑ Roderick Bailey, Forgotten Voices of the Victoria Cross, Imperial War Museum (Great Britain), The Imperial War Museum, Richard Dannatt, Random House, 2010, ISBN 0091938163, 9780091938161
- ↑ For Addiscombe Military Seminary the number has not been confirmed. Some soldiers had attended other educational establishments before Addiscombe, whilst others only attended Addiscombe
- ↑ Harry Prendergast, George Renny, James Travers and Edward Thackeray - Philip A. Wilkins, The History of the Victoria Cross: Being an account of the 520 acts of bravery for which the decoration has been awarded and portraits of 392 recipients, Andrews UK Limited, 2012, ISBN 1781516731, 9781781516737
- ↑ Four recipients who attended Addiscombe also counted in other schools above
- ↑ John Carstairs McNeill
- ↑ Donald Macintyre (VC)- Philip A. Wilkins, The History of the Victoria Cross: Being an account of the 520 acts of bravery for which the decoration has been awarded and portraits of 392 recipients, Andrews UK Limited, 2012, ISBN 1781516731, 9781781516737
- ↑ Arthur George Hammond
- ↑ Martineau also included under University College School