  The celebration this year of the Jubilee of the Victoria Cross may be offered as sufficient excuse for the appearance of this volume. Such a notable event deserves to be fittingly commemorated, and it is in the hope that it will be accepted as a standard work on the subject that the present book is put forth. My original intention of telling the stories of all the V.C. exploits was found to be impracticable within the limit of space prescribed. A selection, therefore, has been made, and these instances—a very large number—have been narrated more or less at length. The history of the Decoration has been brought right up to date. In such a book as this, accuracy is of course of the first importance, and in my account of the deeds that won the Cross I have been at considerable pains to verify the smallest particulars. To this end the London Gazette and other authentic sources have been consulted, while in many cases the information has been obtained from the V.C. men themselves. It is possible, however, that errors have crept in despite the care exercised, and I shall be grateful if any reader who detects a misstatement will notify me of the fact, that the correction may be made in a future edition. A. L. H. London, June 1906. Muscovite metal makes this English Cross, Won in a rain of blood and wreath of flame; The guns that thundered for their brave lives’ loss Are worn hence, for their fame! … The men of all the army and the fleet, The very bravest of the very brave, Linesman and Lord—these fought with equal feet Firm-planted on the grave. The men who, setting light their blood and breath, So they might win a victor’s haught renown, Held their steel straight against the face of Death, And frowned his frowning down. … And some who climbed the deadly glacis-side, For all that steel could stay, or savage shell; And some, whose blood upon the Colours dried Tells if they bore them well. Some, too, who, gentle-hearted even in strife, Seeing their fellow or their friend go down, Saved his, at peril of their own dear life, Winning the Civic Crown. Well done for them; and, fair Isle, well for thee! While that thy bosom beareth sons like those, “The little gem set in the silver sea” Shall never fear her foes! Sir Edwin Arnold. THE BOOK OF THE V.C. |
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