Victoria Crosses on the Western Front, 1917 to Third, 27th January 1917 – 27th July 1917

The Victoria Cross was introduced as an award to recognize truly 
exceptional courage by officers and men in the face of the enemy. 
It has becoming an award that is recognised around the world. It 
is awarded carefully and for so many to be awarded in such a short 
period is an indication of the ferocity of the fighting on the 
Western Front. The author has very carefully researched the stories 
behind the awards in what  must be the definitive account of these 
Victoria Cross recipients. Highly Recommended.

NAME: Victoria Crosses on the Western Front, 1917 to Third, 27^th 
January 1917 - 27^th July 1917
FILE: R2428
AUTHOR:  Paul Oldfield
PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword
BINDING: hard back 
PAGES:  556
PRICE: £30.00
GENRE: Non Fiction
SUBJECT: WWI, World War 1, The Great War, First World War, World War 
One, Home Front, Great Britain, Western Front, Ypres, Victoria Cross, 
VC, extreme courage, BEF, battlefield tours
ISBN: 1-47382-707-8
IMAGE: B2428.jpg
BUYNOW: http://tinyurl.com/jj8lkfh
LINKS: Current Discount Offers http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/sale 
DESCRIPTION: The Victoria Cross was introduced as an award to 
recognize truly exceptional courage by officers and men in the face 
of the enemy. It has becoming an award that is recognized around 
the world. It is awarded carefully and for so many to be awarded in 
such a short period is an indication of the ferocity of the fighting 
on the Western Front. The author has very carefully researched the 
stories behind the awards in what  must be the definitive account of 
these Victoria Cross recipients. Highly Recommended.

The trench warfare of the Western Front was a battle of attrition. 
It was so fiercely fought that the key points on the line saw a 
number of battles during WWI and this new book covers the award of 
Victoria Crosses during a period of only six months to the Third 
Battle of Ypres, or 'Wypers' as it was called by the soldiers who 
fought there.

The award of so many VCs during this brief period not only indicates 
the ferocity of the fighting, but it also graphically shows the 
enormous courage of all those who were there. This is a common 
feature of the VC, with only the most outstanding feats of courage 
under enemy fire being recommended for the award.

What especially marks this book out as a 'must read' is that it not 
only places the actions in the context of battlefield visits, with 
a mass of photographs and maps, but it also goes beyond the actions 
themselves, providing a a sketch of each recipient's life and 
background. 

The level of research and attention to detail has resulted in a 
thick volume and that inevitably means a price beyond the pockets of 
some readers, even with the publisher's aggressive marketing and 
discounting. With the cutbacks in public lending libraries, this 
will reduce the number of people who are able to access this moving 
and inspiring group of stories. For those who do find the funds to 
buy a copy, it is a rewarding work that more than justifies its cost.