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Victoria Cross Heroes

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Victoria Cross Heroes
GenreDocudrama
Written by
Directed by
  • Nicholas White
  • Steven Clarke
  • Mary McMurray
Presented byCharles, Prince of Wales
Starring
Voices ofCrispin Bonham-Carter
Narrated byKenneth Cranham
ComposerTom Escott
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producers
  • Peter Georgi
  • Mark Souster
ProducerSteven Clarke
Running time60 minutes
Original release
NetworkFive
Release19 November (2006-11-19) –
3 December 2006 (2006-12-03)

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

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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

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Episode one: The Modern Age

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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.

Performers

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Participants

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Episode 2: The Great War

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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.

Performers

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Participants

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

Episode 3: The Empire

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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.

Performers

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Participants

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

Companion book

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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

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  • 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

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