Henry Allingham laid to rest

Henry Allingham, last surviving founding member of the Royal Air Force and last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, was laid to rest in Brighton yesterday. ZUI this article from the MOD Defence News:

The funeral of Henry Allingham, one of the last veterans of the First World War and the world's oldest man, took place today at St Nicholas Church, Brighton, East Sussex.

Hundreds of mourners joined Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, President of the World War One Veterans Association; Veterans Minister Kevan Jones; Commander-in-Chief Fleet of the Royal Navy Admiral Sir Trevor Soar; and Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, incoming Chief of the Air Staff, to pay their respects to Mr Allingham.

Uniquely, three Royal Navy and three Royal Air Force personnel bore the coffin into the church, paying tribute to Mr Allingham's service during the First World War.

Behind the coffin Mr Allingham's great-grandsons - Petty Officer 2nd Class Brent Gray, United States Navy, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Gray, United States Navy - carried his medals. These included his two campaign medals from the First World War, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, and the Legion d'Honneur, of which Mr Allingham was made Officier earlier this year.

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After the coffin was carried out of the church, Royal Marines buglers sounded the Last Post and a bugler from the French Armed Forces sounded a reveille as the church bell was tolled 113 times, one for each year of Mr Allingham's life.

Following the reveille there was a flypast of five replica World War One aircraft over Brighton in salute to Mr Allingham, consisting of three SE5s, a Sopwith Pup and a Sopwith Triplane.

ZUI also this article from the BBC, this article from The Guardian and this article from The Telegraph. For a historical note, ZUI this article from the BBC.


Funeral photograph © Crown Copyright/MOD 2009.

RIP: Harry Patch

Henry John Patch
17 Jun 1898 – 25 Jul 2009

The last World War I veteran who actually fought in the trenches died Saturday, leaving only three remaining WWI vets: Claude Choules of England (Royal Navy)*, John Babcock of Canada (Canadian Expeditionary Force) and Frank Buckles of the United States (US Army).

ZUI this article from The Telegraph:

The son of a master stonemason, Henry John Patch was born at Combe Down, near Bath, on June 17, 1898, and educated at the local Church of England school. On leaving at 15 he was apprenticed to a plumber. One of his brothers, a sergeant-major in the Royal Engineers, had been wounded at Mons, so young Harry knew enough to have no wish to go when he was called up at 18.

Sent for six months to the 33rd Training Battalion near Warminster, Wiltshire, he learned to lock up his kit after his boots were stolen, and earned his crossed guns badge for marksmanship, which came with an extra 6d a day.

On landing in France in June 1917, Patch became a Lewis machine-gunner with C company of the 7th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry at Rouen, and he was in the trenches on his 19th birthday. Although he did not go into action that day, he saw the Yorkshires and Lancashires climbing out of their dugouts to be mowed down before reaching the German line.

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At 41 Patch was too old to be called up for the Second World War, but he joined the Auxiliary Fire Service in Bath, and was trained to use a Vickers machine-gun if the Germans arrived. In 1942 Patch found himself called to deal with the results of the “Baedeker raids” and found himself fighting fires all night, not only in Bath but also in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. The pumps ran out of water because the drains were fractured, and he found himself diving under his fire engine as it was sprayed with bullets from a low-flying plane.

ZUI also this article from the BBC:

He was a plumber from Somerset, in many ways an unremarkable man, but Harry Patch became the last British survivor of the carnage of the Western Front.

He was the final physical link to a conflict that saw two armies bogged down in the mud of Flanders and northern France for more than four years.

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Harry Patch's war came to an end on 22 September, 1917 when a German shell burst over the heads of his five man Lewis gun team. Three of them were blown to pieces while Patch was wounded in the groin by a piece of shrapnel.

He was in hospital for 12 months and was convalescing on the Isle of Wight when the Armistice was signed.

In 1919 he married Ada Billington, a girl he met while recovering from his wound and returned to work as a plumber. They had two sons, Dennis and Roy, but he outlived both of them.

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In 1980 he remarried, but his wife Jean passed away in 1984. From 2003 he had a third partner, Doris, who lived in the same retirement home and died two years ago.

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On his 101st birthday he travelled to France where he was awarded the Legion d'Honneur, and subsequently made an officer of the Legion d'Honneur.

In 2008, he was also honoured by the Belgian king, Albert II, who appointed him Knight of the Order of Leopold.

One of his favourite awards however was that of the Freedom of the City of Wells, where he had lived for many years.

In 2007 he became the UK's oldest author when he collaborated with Richard van Emden to write The Last Fighting Tommy, a detailed account of his life.

ZUI also this obituary from The Guardian. Wikipedia has an article here, with links to numerous other articles of interest.

The Last Fighting Tommy is available from Amazon, as well as from other sources.

Patch's death came just a week after that of fellow veteran Harry Allingham, the last RAF survivor of the Great War.

At the time of his death Patch was the oldest man in Europe, as well as the 46th-oldest person in the world. He is the first supercentenarian listed by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) to die since Allingham's death on 18 July.

The GRG's list of validated living supercentenarians (people who have reached their 110th birthday) currently includes 75 people (4 men and 71 women), ranging from 115-year-old Gertrude Baines of California (born 6 Apr 1894) to Grazia-Giovanna Carbonaro-Pitrolo of Italy (born 5 Apr 1899); six of them (all women) live in England.


* Choules served in the Royal Navy during World War I, and then in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II.

Update 1148 29 Jul: ZUI this article from the MOD Defence News:

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced plans for a national service commemorating those who served in the First World War following the passing of Harry Patch, the last British veteran of the war.

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Paying tribute to Mr Patch, the Prime Minister said:

"I had the honour of meeting Harry, and I share his family's grief at the passing of a great man.

"I know that the whole nation will unite today to honour the memory, and to take pride in the generation that fought the Great War.

"The noblest of all the generations has left us, but they will never be forgotten. We say today with still greater force - 'We will remember them'."

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Harry's funeral will be held in Wells Cathedral. The funeral cortege through Wells and the subsequent service at the cathedral will be an opportunity for the people of this country to pay their respects to Harry as the last representative of those who served in the trenches.

Victoria Cross: G. H. Eardley

GEORGE HAROLD EARDLEY

Private (Acting Sergeant), 4th Battalion The King's Shropshire Light Infantry

Born: 6 May 1912, Congleton, Cheshire
Died: 11 September 1991, Congleton, Cheshire

Citation: In North-West Europe, on 16th October, 1944, during an attack on the wooded area East of Overloon [Holland], strong opposition was met from well sited defensive positions in orchards. The enemy were paratroops and well equipped with machine guns.
A platoon of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry was ordered to clear these orchards and so restore the momentum of the advance, but was halted some 80 yards from its objective by automatic fire from enemy machine gun posts. This fire was so heavy that it appeared impossible for any man to expose himself and remain unscathed.
Notwithstanding this, Sergeant Eardley, who had spotted one machine gun post, moved forward, firing his Sten gun, and killed the occupants of the post with a grenade. A second machine gun post beyond the first immediately opened up, spraying the area with fire. Sergeant Eardley, who was in a most exposed position, at once charged over 30 yards of open ground and silenced both the enemy gunners.
The attack was continued by the Platoon but was again held up by a third machine gun post, and a section sent in to dispose of it, was beaten back, losing four casualties. Sergeant Eardley, ordering the section he was with to lie down, then crawled forward alone and silenced the occupants of the post with a grenade.
The destruction of these three machine gun posts singlehanded by Sergeant Eardley, carried out under fire so heavy that it daunted those who were with him, enabled his Platoon to achieve its objective, and in so doing, ensured the success of the whole attack.
His outstanding initiative and magnificent bravery were the admiration of all who saw his gallant actions.

(London Gazette Issue 36870 dated 2 Jan 1945, published 29 Dec 1944.)

Medal of Honor: W. R. Huber

WILLIAM RUSSEL HUBER

Machinist's Mate, US Navy; USS Bruce (DD 329)

Born: 16 July 1902, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Died: 25 January 1982

Citation: For display of extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on 11 June 1928, after a boiler accident on the U.S.S. Bruce, then at the Naval Shipyard, Norfolk, Va. Immediately on becoming aware of the accident, Huber without hesitation and in complete disregard of his own safety, entered the steam-filled fireroom and at grave risk to his life succeeded by almost superhuman efforts in carrying Charles H. Byran to safety. Although having received severe and dangerous burns about the arms and neck, he descended with a view toward rendering further assistance. The great courage, grit, and determination displayed by Huber on this occasion characterized conduct far above and beyond the call of duty.

...to keep and bear arms....

Read this post.

H/T to Tam.

RIP: Henry Allingham

Henry William Allingham
6 Jun 1896 – 18 Jul 2009

The last RAF veteran of World War I - who was also the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland - has died. According to Wikipedia:

On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person, and on 29 March 2009 the oldest ever British male, surpassing Welshman John Evans who died aged 112 years and 295 days. At age 113 years, 13 days, he became the oldest living man in the world, following the death of Japanese supercentenarian Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009, which was confirmed by Guinness World Records. On 18 July 2009 Allingham died of natural causes aged 113 years and 42 days. At the time of his death, he was the 14th oldest verified man of all time.

Allingham was the oldest ever surviving member of any of the British Armed Forces and the oldest surviving veteran of the First World War. He was the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the last surviving founding member of the Royal Air Force (RAF).

ZUI this article from the BBC:

Cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women was Henry Allingham's tongue in cheek recipe for his long life, which crossed over three centuries.

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In 1914 he tried to join the Army as a despatch rider but his mother, who was ill, persuaded him to stay at home and nurse her.

She died a few months afterwards, age 42, and Henry, who later remembered feeling completely alone and with no purpose in life, joined the fledgling Royal Naval Air Service as a mechanic.

After his training he was posted to Great Yarmouth, where he maintained sea planes involved in anti submarine patrols in the North Sea and acted as an air gunner in operations to counter German Zeppelins.

He was drafted on to HM trawler Kingfisher which headed north, in May 1916, as part of the British force sent to intercept the German High Seas Fleet at Jutland.

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After his discharge from the RAF he went to work for the Ford Motor Company where he remained until he retired.

His engineering expertise was called into use again in World War II where he worked on a project designed to neutralise German magnetic mines.

ZUI also this article from The Guardian:

Henry Allingham, who has died aged 113, was the last RAF and British naval veteran of the first world war. In 1916, he maintained naval aircraft during the Battle of Jutland, the conflict's greatest sea battle, and the following year he was transferred to the western front in time for the last Ypres offensive. He was Britain's oldest man, and for the last month of his life was recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest man alive.

Allingham was born in Clapton, east London, a year before Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee of 1897 and three years before the Boer war. The Klondike gold rush was just starting and General Kitchener was campaigning in the Sudan. His father, an ironmonger, died when Henry was 14 months old. On leaving his council school, he started training as a surgical instrument maker at Bart's hospital, in central London, but found the work too dull and soon moved on to learn to make bodywork for cars. Allingham had just turned 18 when the first world war broke out and wanted to volunteer for the army as a dispatch rider. Instead, at the request of his ailing mother, he stayed at home until her death in 1915.

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As air activity at sea declined, many RNAS units were transferred to the western front in 1917. In June, Air Mechanic First Class Allingham was assigned to No 12 squadron, training other transferred RNAS units. After five months he was posted to a depot at the port of Dunkirk on France's border with Belgium, where he experienced aerial bombing and shelling from land and sea as his unit struggled to repair and recover damaged aircraft.

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On 1 April 1918, Allingham and his comrades swapped their naval uniforms for the grey-blue kit of the brand new Royal Air Force, product of the amalgamation of the RNAS and the army's Royal Flying Corps. Allingham was sounded out about taking an RAF commission after the war, but decided instead to marry his sweetheart, Dorothy, whom he had met in Great Yarmouth in 1915. Their marriage in 1918 lasted more than half a century until her death in 1970; they had two daughters who also predeceased him.

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In 2004 he was one of four centenarian veterans who laid a wreath at the cenotaph to mark the 90th anniversary of his war. It was only in the following year that he moved into a care home. Concerned that the world should not forget the sacrifice made by the millions who died in the first world war, in his final years he decided to speak about his experiences. In November 2008, he turned out again with two other veterans, Harry Patch and Bill Stone, at the cenotaph; Stone died in January.

Allingham's memoir, Kitchener's Last Volunteer, was written with Dennis Goodwin and published in 2008. He is survived by six grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, 21 great-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great-grandchild.

Wikipedia's article on Allingham, quoted above, includes many links to newspaper articles about him. Kitchener's Last Volunteer is available from Amazon, amongst others.

At the time of his death Allingham was the eleventh-oldest person in the world, as well as the oldest living man. He is the fourth supercentenarian listed by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) to die since the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June; the others were Antonio Fernandes de Castro (6 Jan 1898-22 Jun 2009) of Portugal, Lucia Lauria Vigna (4 Mar 1896-28 Jun 2009) of Italy and Yoshi Kobayashi (2 Sep 1898-4 Jul 2009) of Japan.

The GRG's list of validated living supercentenarians (people who have reached their 110th birthday) currently includes 76 people (5 men and 71 women), ranging from 115-year-old Gertrude Baines of California (born 6 Apr 1894) to Grazia-Giovanna Carbonaro-Pitrolo of Italy (born 5 Apr 1899); seven of them (six women and one man) live in England.

The oldest man in the world is now 112-year-old Walter Breuning (born 21 Sep 1896) of Montana, the world's 14th-oldest living person. The oldest man in England is WWI veteran Harry Patch, 111 (born 17 June 1898), the world's 47th-oldest person and third-oldest man. (The oldest person in England is Florrie Baldwin, 113, who was born 31 Mar 1896.)

According to Wikipedia, there are now four surviving veterans of World War I - two English, one Canadian and one US.

Victoria Cross: I. Harding

ISRAEL HARDING

Gunner, Royal Navy; HMS Alexandra

Born: 21 December 1833, Portsmouth,
Died: 22 May 1917, Billingshurst, Sussex

Citation: At about nine o'clock, on the morning of the 11th July [1882], whilst Her Majesty's Ship "Alexandra" was engaging the Forts at Alexandria, a 10-inch spherical shell passed through the ship's side and lodged on the main deck. Mr. Harding hearing the shout "there is a live shell just above the hatchway," rushed up the ladder from below, and, observing that the fuze was burning, took some water from a tub standing near, and threw it over the projectile, then picked up the shell and put it into the tub. Had the shell burst, it would probably have destroyed many lives.

[London Gazette issue 25147 dtd 15 Sep 1882, published 15 Sep 1882.]

Medal of Honor: Appleton, Burnes, Heisch and McAllister

EDWIN NELSON APPLETON

Corporal, US Marine Corps; USS Newark (C 1)

Born: 29 August 1876, Brooklyn, New York
Died: 26 September 1937, New York (?)

Citation: In action against the enemy at Tientsin, China, 20 June 1900. Crossing the river in a small boat while under heavy enemy fire, Appleton assisted in destroying buildings occupied by the enemy.









JAMES BURNES

Private, US Marine Corps; USS Newark (C 1)

Born: 14 January 1870, Worcester, Massachusetts
Died: Unknown

Citation: In action against the enemy at Tientsin, China, 20 June 1900. Crossing the river in a small boat with 3 other men while under a heavy fire from the enemy, Burnes assisted in destroying buildings occupied by hostile forces.








HENRY WILLIAM HEISCH

Private, US Marine Corps; USS Newark (C 1)

Born: 10 June 1872, Latendorf, Germany
Died: 10 July 1941

Citation: In action against the enemy at Tientsin, China, 20 June 1900. Crossing the river in a small boat while under heavy fire, Heisch assisted in destroying buildings occupied by the enemy.









SAMUEL McALLISTER

Ordinary Seaman, US Navy

Born: 23 January 1869, Belfast, Ireland
Died: Unknown

Citation: In action against the enemy at Tientsin, China, 20 June 1900. Crossing the river in a small boat while under heavy enemy fire, McAllister assisted in destroying buildings occupied by the enemy.

Note: Presumably Seaman McAllister was also stationed aboard USS Newark.

RIP: Walter Cronkite

Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr
(4 Nov 1916 – 17 Jul 2009)

ZUI this article from the NY Times.

Best news anchor there ever was....

Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award finalists announced

The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) have announced the finalists for the first Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, for a young adult book "demonstrating a positive approach to life, widespread teen appeal, and literary merit." The author of the winning book will receive $5000.

The finalists are:

After Tupac and D Foster, by Jacqueline Woodson
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Me, The Missing, and the Dead, by Jenny Valentine
My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park, by Steve Kluger

Amelia Elizabeth Walden (1909-2002) was the author of over forty YA books, the first of which was published in 1946.

Medal of Honor upgrades?

ZUI this article from Examiner.com:

It is time for President Obama to award the Congressional Medal of Honor to Private First Class Guy Gabaldon for his heroic actions during the Battle of Saipan in the Second World War. While PFC Gabaldon died in 2006, awarding him the Medal of Honor would send a powerful, yet positive message to the rest of the world.

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His commanders had recommended him for the Congressional Medal of Honor, but he was awarded the Silver Star instead. His medal was later upgraded to the Navy Cross. Efforts to award him the Medal of Honor continued as late as 1998.

One of the most important promises President Obama made during his presidential campaign was to restore the reputation of the United States to the rest of the world. One important way of doing this is award PFC Gabaldon with the Medal of Honor.

This will send a message that the United States will honor those individuals who will turn to peace, even in the most unlikely of times.

Gabaldon's Navy Cross citation reads as follows:

The Navy Cross is presented to Guy L. Gabaldon, Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism while serving with Headquarters and Service Company, Second Marines, Second Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan and Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands, South Pacific Area, from 15 June to 1 August 1944. Acting as a Japanese Interpreter for the Second Marines, Private First Class Gabaldon displayed extreme courage and initiative in single-handedly capturing enemy civilian and military personnel during the Saipan and Tinian operations. Working alone in front of the lines, he daringly entered enemy caves, pillboxes, buildings, and jungle brush, frequently in the face of hostile fire, and succeeded in not only obtaining vital military information, but in capturing well over one thousand enemy civilians and troops. Through his valiant and distinguished exploits, Private First Class Gabaldon made an important contribution to the successful prosecution of the campaign and, through his efforts, a definite humane treatment of civilian prisoners was assured. His courageous and inspiring devotion to duty throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.

ZUI also this article from OregonLive.com:

Larry [Liss] is a Vietnam War hero ... a word I don't use lightly. But hero is exactly the right word to describe a pilot who piloted or copiloted an unarmed helicopter five times into a lopsided firefight into a jungle so dense with bamboo that he and his fellow pilot had to create a landing zone by chopping down the stalks with their rotors. Further, Liss jumped out of the Huey to help load people aboard, even as North Vietnamese fighters closed in, and he held onto two soldiers clinging to the outside of the craft as it hoisted itself into the air. Thanks to his efforts and those of two others on the same crazy, unplanned mission in 1967, some 87 South Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian and Chinese irregulars and a U.S. adviser were saved from capture or death. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions that day.

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[A]t least two members of Congress are supporting the idea of giving Liss and his comrades an upgrade to the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award. Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Rep. Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania have urged the Pentagon to award Liss and his comrades the honor, which might represent the last opportunity to confer awards to a group of Vietnam veterans.

Liss's DFC citation reads as follows:

The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting Captain Lawrence M. Liss the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism while participating in aerial flight evidenced by voluntary actions above and beyond the call of duty in the Republic of Vietnam on 14 May 1967 while serving with the Aviation Detachment, II Field Force Vietnam. On that date, Captain Liss was pilot of an unarmed helicopter transporting the II Field Force Vietnam Staff Chaplain to Special Forces camps in the III Corps area for Sunday services. Arriving at Cau Song Be Special Forces Camp, he learned that a Civilian Irregular Defense Group company was engaged in heavy fighting with a numerically superior Viet Cong force a few miles away. Disregarding his own safety, Captain Liss volunteered his services to fly in reinforcements and evacuate wounded personnel. To successfully land on a narrow dirt road flanked by bamboo thickets and heavy foliage, Captain Liss had to use his rotors to cut through the dense underbrush, an extremely hazardous undertaking. Reinforcing troops were unloaded and the casualties were placed on the aircraft. Again using the rotors to clear a path for take-off, Captain Liss brought the wounded soldiers safely back to Cau Song Be. Upon landing, he was asked to return to evacuate the entire company. Captain Liss again courageously volunteered his services, disregarding his own safety. Sharing the flying responsibilities with the aircraft commander, he made five trips. The danger increased with each lift, not only because of the reduced number of personnel left to protect the perimeter against an intensified enemy attack, but because radio contact had been lost with the tactical air support aircraft and the helicopter had to be maneuvered through friendly air support fire and artillery fire flanking their flight path. Through the valiant efforts of Captain Liss, the Civilian Irregular Defense Group company was rescued and their casualties evacuated successfully. His exemplary professional skill and determination in the face of hostile fire and extreme danger to his own safety were instrumental in the successful accomplishment of the aircraft's mission. Captain Liss' extraordinary accomplishment was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, II Field Force Vietnam and the United States Army.

New award for Brit war dead

HM has approved a new emblem* for members of the armed forces who are killed in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. ZUI this article from the BBC:

The Elizabeth Cross will be awarded to the families of those killed.

In a personal message to service personnel, the Queen said the emblem was "a right and proper way of showing our enduring debt".

It will be available to the relatives of all those killed in conflicts since the end of World War II.

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The Ministry of Defence estimates that about 8,000 families could be eligible for the award.

It says it will contact the families of those who have died since 2000 about receiving it, but relatives of those killed before that date will be required to apply themselves.

They will then be able to decide whether they wish to receive the award publicly or in private.

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The Cross will be available to all those killed since 1948 in conflicts including the Falklands War and Northern Ireland Troubles.

Personnel who died in Palestine between September 1945 and the end of 1947 will also be eligible.

It will apply to regular and reserve personnel and will cover those who died in battle and later as a result of injuries received in the field.

ZUI also this article from The Times:

The decision to honour the next of kin of servicemen and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as previous wars including Korea, Malaysia, Kenya, the Falklands and Northern Ireland, was in recognition of the “lifetime grief” they had to endure, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff, said today.

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The emblem has a laurel wreath passing between the arms of the cross while the arms themselves bear floral symbols representing England (rose), Scotland (thistle), Ireland (shamrock) and Wales (daffodil).

The reverse of the cross bears the crowned cypher of the Queen which will also hold the engraved name of the deceased. Each family will be given one Elizabeth Cross which can be worn on any occasion and an additional pin-on miniature version. Both will be presented in a black leather box with the royal cypher on the lid and the royal coat of arms on the inner silk lining.

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Although the focus of today’s announcement is on families of service personnel killed on operations or by terrorists, there is to be another category to cover members of the Armed Forces who die in circumstances which are not classed as official campaigns. This will allow for next of kin of special forces troops involved in secret missions overseas to apply for the Elizabeth Cross. The families of Gurkhas will also be eligible.

The memorial scroll will be on parchment-style paper, headed with the royal coat of arms and with the following words: “This Scroll Commemorates (name inserted) who gave his/her life for Queen and Country.”

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The Elizabeth Cross and scroll will be given to both regular Armed Forces personnel and reservists, and also to members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary when deployed in direct support of a designated operation.

Air Chief Marshal Stirrup said consideration had been given to presenting a special medal to those injured on operations. But after wide consultation within the Forces, he said there had been no enthusiasm for such an award. Also rejected was the idea of adding a special clasp to the Afghanistan campaign medal awarded for those fighting in Helmand.

Families wishing to apply for the Elizabeth Cross can do so via the MOD web site, which states:

The Next of Kin of eligible personnel whose deaths fall into the following categories are to be recognised:

• Those who died from whatever cause whilst serving on a medal earning operation. Medal earning operations are those in which deployed personnel received a Campaign Medal, General Service Medal or Operational Service Medal which demonstrated the risk and rigour involved. Operations where a UN, NATO or other international body or other nations’ campaign medal was accepted for wear, in the absence of a UK medal also qualify.

• Those who died as a result of an act of terrorism where the available evidence suggests that the Service person, whether on or off duty, was targeted because of his or her membership of the UK Armed Forces.

• Those who died on a non-medal earning operational task where death has been caused by the inherent high risk of the task.

• Those who died a subsequent and premature death as a result of an injury or illness attributed to the circumstances outlined above.

* The term used by Air Chief Marshal Stirrup.

First women accepted as Chelsea Pensioners

Dorothy Hughes (left) and Winifred Phillips

The first women were accepted as Chelsea Pensioners - residents at the Royal Hospital Chelsea - in March. ZUI this article from the MOD Defence News:

If you heard the sound of breaking glass emanating from Chelsea's elegant grade-one-listed Royal Hospital, it is because, after 317 years, the glass ceiling has been shattered. For the first time, the Chelsea Pensioners have accepted women into their midst.

The first two women Chelsea Pensioners are Dorothy Hughes, 85, an ex-Gunner and Sergeant, and Winifred Phillips, 82, a former Warrant Officer.

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The women wear the pensioners' famous red coats, but theirs have been sensitively altered to accommodate the 'Chelsea chest' (as Dorothy dubs it). Dressed in red and black, they have joined the walking tourist attraction that is the Chelsea Pensioners. Their only gripes are that the coats weigh a hefty 11lbs (5kg), and the waistbands of their trousers reach Simon Cowell proportions.

The women rather like their uniforms, but Winifred suggests some of the men may have been expecting something different.

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Winifred originally applied to be a Chelsea Pensioner in 1999. It took ten years for the rules to be changed and for her dream to come true. She was delighted to move from her sheltered accommodation in Deal to her final posting.

The trained nurse joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service on her 22nd birthday in 1948 and enlisted in the Women's Royal Army Corps a year later. During a career she describes as 'wonderful', Winifred served in Egypt, Cyprus, Singapore, Germany, Cyprus and Jakarta. She retired in 1971:


"You get the odd grumpy old man. But I'm not going to go into details and it's not daunting. I'm going to be 83 in August, so I'm too old to be daunted."

"The things I got a chance to do in the Army, I would never have done in civvy street," she said.

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Dorothy enlisted in 1941, at the age of 18, much to the disapproval of her strict father:

"I was always a rebel," she said.

Dorothy served with the Royal Artillery in London, manning anti-aircraft guns. After basic training she faced a tricky time. The men on the gun sites knew that the arrival of the trained women meant they would be posted abroad[.]

According to the News page at the Royal Hospital's website,

Winifred Phillips trained and qualified as a nurse before joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1948. She enlisted into the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) in 1949 whilst serving in Egypt. She completed 22 years' service with the Colours and retired in 1971 in the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2.

Dorothy Hughes joined the ATS in 1941 and was subsequently posted to 450 Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery in the London Division. In 1945 the Battery was deployed near Dover to defend against V1 rocket attacks. Dorothy later worked with the Army Operational Research Group developing fuses in shells used against V2 rockets and was discharged from the Army in 1946 in the rank of sergeant.

The Royal Hospital Chelsea was founded in 1682 by King Charles II, "for the succour and relief of veterans broken by age and war." The hospital building was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and was completed in 1692. Residents are former non-commissioned officers or soldiers of the British Army who receive an Army Service or War Disability Pension for Army Service, are 65 years of age or over, and are free of any obligation to support a partner or family. Former officers of the British Army who meet the criteria may also be accepted if they served for at least 12 years as enlisted personnel before obtaining a commission, or if they were awarded a disablement pension while serving as enlisted men. On admission to the Hospital, a Pensioner surrenders his service and/or disability pension in return for board, lodging, clothes and medical care.

ZUI also this article dated 5 Mar 09 from The Telegraph and this article dated 12 Mar 09 from The Guardian.

RIP: Edward Kenna VC

Edward Kenna VC, with Keith Payne VC behind him

Edward Kenna VC
6 July 1919 – 8 July 2009

ZUI this article from The Telegraph:

Ted Kenna, who died on July 8 aged 90, won the Victoria Cross on May 15 1945 while serving with the 2nd/4th Australian Infantry Battalion in the South West Pacific. He was the last surviving Australian VC recipient of the Second World War.

*******

Edward Kenna, always known as Ted, was born on July 6 1919 at Hamilton, Victoria, the fourth child of a family of seven. He went to St Mary's Convent, Hamilton, but left at 14 and worked as a plumber to look after his mother when his father fell ill. He was an accomplished sportsman and a keen cyclist and sportsman.

Kenna served in the Citizen Military Forces before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Forces in 1940. He served initially in the 23rd/21st Battalion but was posted to the 2nd/4th in 1943. In October 1944 he embarked from Cairns with his unit bound for New Guinea.

In June 1945, three weeks after the attack on the Wirui Mission feature, Kenna was taking part in a similar operation when he was hit in the mouth by an explosive bullet and evacuated. When told he was likely to die he simply exclaimed: "Pigs". But he recovered and in December 1946 he was discharged.

*******

Ted Kenna married, in 1947, Marje Rushberry, who had nursed him in hospital. They had two sons and two daughters, one of whom predeceased him.

There are now nine surviving VC holders:

WO Tul Bahadur Pun VC, 6th Gurkha Rifles - Burma, 1944
Flt Lt John A Cruickshank VC, RAFVR - North Atlantic, 1944
Hav Lachhiman Gurung VC, 8th Gurkha Rifles - Burma, 1945
Sgt William Speakman VC, The Black Watch - Korea, 1951
Capt Ram Bahadur Limbu VC MVO, 10th Gurkha Rifles - Borneo, 1965
WO Keith Payne VC OAM, Australian Army - Vietnam, 1969
Pte Johnson G Beharry VC, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment - Iraq, 2004
Cpl Bill H Apiata VC, New Zealand SAS - Afghanistan, 2004
Tpr Mark G S Donaldson VC, Australian SAS - Afghanistan, 2008

******* *** *******

EDWARD KENNA

Private, 2/4 Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Military Forces

Born: 6 July 1919, Hamilton, Victoria, Australia
Died: 8 July 2009, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Citation: In the South West Pacific at Wewak on 15th May, 1945, during the attack on the Wirui Mission features, Private Kenna's company had the task of capturing certain enemy positions. The only position from which observation for supporting fire could be obtained was continuously swept by enemy heavy machine gun fire and it was not possible to bring Artillery or Mortars into action.

Private Kenna's platoon was ordered forward to deal with the enemy machine gun post, so that the company operation could proceed. His section moved as close as possible to the bunker in order to harass any enemy seen, so that the remainder of the platoon could attack from the flank. When the attacking sections came into view of the enemy they were immediately engaged at very close range by heavy automatic fire from a position not previously disclosed. Casualties were suffered and the attackers could not move further forward.

Private Kenna endeavoured to put his Bren gun into a position where he could engage the bunker, but was unable to do so because of the nature of the ground. On his own initiative and without orders Private Kenna immediately stood up in full view of the enemy less than fifty yards away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from the hip. The enemy machine gun immediately returned Private Kenna's fire and with such accuracy that bullets actually passed between his arms and his body. Undeterred, he remained completely exposed and continued to fire at the enemy until his magazine was exhausted. Still making a target of himself, Private Kenna discarded his Bren gun and called for a rifle. Despite the intense machine gun fire, he seized the rifle and, with amazing coolness, killed the gunner with his first round.

A second automatic opened fire on Private Kenna from a different position and another of the enemy immediately tried to move into position behind the first machine gun, but Private Kenna remained standing and killed him with his next round.

The result of Private Kenna's magnificent bravery in the face of concentrated fire, was that the bunker was captured without further loss, and the company attack proceeded to a successful conclusion, many enemy being killed and numerous automatic weapons captured.

There is no doubt that the success of the company attack would have been seriously endangered and many casualties sustained but for Private Kenna's magnificent courage and complete disregard for his own safety. His action was an outstanding example of the highest degree of bravery.

[London Gazette issue 37253 dated 6 Sep 1945, dated 4 Sep 1945.]

Victoria Cross: F. C. Booth

FREDERICK CHARLES BOOTH

Serjeant, British South African Police; attached Rhodesia Native Regiment

Born: 6 March 1890, Upper Holloway, North London
Died: 14 September 1960, Brighton, Sussex

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery during an attack, in thick bush, on the enemy position [near Songea, German East Africa, on 12 February 1917].
Under very heavy rifle fire, Sjt. Booth went forward alone and brought in a man who was dangerously wounded.
Later, he rallied native troops who were badly disorganised, and brought them to the firing line.
This N.C.O. has on many previous occasions displayed the greatest bravery, coolness and resource in action, and has set a splendid example of pluck, endurance and determination.

[London Gazette issue 30122 dated 8 Jun 1917, published on 8 Jun 1917.]


Note: Songea is now the capital of the Ruvuma Region, in southeastern Tanzania.

Medal of Honor: W. H. Mathews

WILLIAM H MATHEWS

First Sergeant, Company E, 2d Maryland Veteran Infantry

Born: 3 March 1844, England
Died: 7 February 1928

Citation: Finding himself among a squad of Confederates [at Petersburg, Virginia, on 30 July 1864], he fired into them, killing 1, and was himself wounded, but succeeded in bringing in a sergeant and 2 men of the 17th South Carolina Regiment (C.S.A.) as prisoners.


Note: Mathews enlisted in 1861 at Baltimore under the name Henry Sivel, and his original Medal of Honor was issued under that name. A new medal was issued in 1900 under his true name, William H Mathews.

Victoria Cross: L. G. Hawker

LANOE GEORGE HAWKER, DSO

Captain, Royal Engineers; No 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps

Born: 30 December 1890, Longparish, Hampshire
Died: 23 November 1916, near Bapaume, France

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery and very great ability on 25th July, 1915.
When flying alone [near Passchendaele, Belgium] he attacked three German aeroplanes in succession. The first managed eventually to escape, the second was driven to ground damaged, and the third, which he attacked at a height of about 10,000 feet, was driven to earth in our lines, the pilot and observer being killed.
The personal bravery shown by this Officer was of the very highest order, as the enemy's aircraft were armed with machine guns, and all carried a passenger as well as the pilot.

[London Gazette issue 29273 dated 24 Aug 1915, published 24 Aug 1915.]


Note: Major Lanoe G Hawker VC DSO was killed in action near Bapaume, France, on 23 Nov 1916. His Airco DH.2 was the 11th aerial victory of Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen.

Medal of Honor: B. L. Salomon

BENJAMIN L SALOMON

Captain, Dental Corps, US Army; 2d Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division

Born: 1 September 1914, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died: 7 July 1944, Saipan, Marianas Islands

Citation: Captain Ben L. Salomon was serving at Saipan, in the Marianas Islands on July 7, 1944, as the Surgeon for the 2d Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. The Regiment's 1st and 2d Battalions were attacked by an overwhelming force estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 Japanese soldiers. It was one of the largest attacks attempted in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Although both units fought furiously, the enemy soon penetrated the Battalions' combined perimeter and inflicted overwhelming casualties. In the first minutes of the attack, approximately 30 wounded soldiers walked, crawled, or were carried into Captain Salomon's aid station, and the small tent soon filled with wounded men. As the perimeter began to be overrun, it became increasingly difficult for Captain Salomon to work on the wounded. He then saw a Japanese soldier bayoneting one of the wounded soldiers lying near the tent. Firing from a squatting position, Captain Salomon quickly killed the enemy soldier. Then, as he turned his attention back to the wounded, two more Japanese soldiers appeared in the front entrance of the tent. As these enemy soldiers were killed, four more crawled under the tent walls. Rushing them, Captain Salomon kicked the knife out of the hand of one, shot another, and bayoneted a third. Captain Salomon butted the fourth enemy soldier in the stomach and a wounded comrade then shot and killed the enemy soldier. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Captain Salomon ordered the wounded to make their way as best they could back to the regimental aid station, while he attempted to hold off the enemy until they were clear. Captain Salomon then grabbed a rifle from one of the wounded and rushed out of the tent. After four men were killed while manning a machine gun, Captain Salomon took control of it. When his body was later found, 98 dead enemy soldiers were piled in front of his position. Captain Salomon's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.


Note: Salomon is one of seven Eagle Scouts who have been awarded the Medal of Honor.

Captain Salomon's medal was awarded on 1 May 2002 by President George W Bush.

Kids, horses and books

I'm posting this again as a reminder:

The following letter comes from author Sara Lewis Holmes. Rather than write my own bit about it, I'm just going to be lazy and post her letter here.

Dear Friends,

My niece, Emily, has been battling cancer for over two years now. But that's not all she's been doing. She's modeled in a show for Flashes of Hope, raised money for Rainbow Hospital and starred in a video for Flying Horse Farms. I feel downright lazy next to her.

So here's what I'm doing: starting a library of camp and horse related books for Flying Horse Farms. Flying Horse Farms is a magical, transforming and fun camp for children with serious illnesses and their families. It's an Ohio based 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and working to become a member of Hole in the Wall Camps, the world's largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses. Watch the video!

I talked with the director, and he said that rather than one central library, he would love to have books available at several spots around the camp---the stables, the craft room, the main activity hall, the cabins, maybe even the dining hall.

The books would be...

For kids to read while they wait for their turn on a horse.
For kids who suddenly discover they love pottery or archery or fishing and want to know everything about it.
For kids to share and discuss a cool quote or an inspirational person during nightly reflection times.
For kids who need a fast idea for a drama skit, or a nature craft, or a easy recipe.
For kids who need to rest.
For kids who love to read.
For kids who are kids and want to be kids and must be kids even if a serious illness complicates their lives.

If you want to help, here are some suggestions:

- I've set up a wish list on Amazon. You can choose a book and donate it directly from there. The list is small now, but it will grow as the campers and counselors and the director add new requests to it.

- You may also buy from that list at your local independent bookstore and have them ship to the address below.

- You can blog about your favorite camp or horse related book. I'll round up those posts, plus forward them to the director and consult them in expanding the Wish List. (Little Willow already did this. Thanks, LW!) Feel free to copy this entire post or use the button I'm putting in my sidebar of my blog: Read*Write*Believe.

- If you're an author or illustrator or publisher or blogger with a camp or horse related book, you can donate directly to the camp, but please remember that the camp serves kids ages 7-15 and your donation should reflect the needs of the camp. (*See the list of activities below.) Please, in all cases: NEW, appropriate books. We don't want to overwhelm the staff with boxes of old books to sort. This is not a book drive, but the beginning of a special library.

Questions? Email me at: email@saralewisholmes.com

*Here's a list of activities at camp: Horses, Arts & Crafts, Painting, Woodworking, Pottery, Boating, Fishing, Swimming, Cooking, Ropes, Adventure (teambuilding), Nature, Sports & Games, Music, Drama

Fiction is also welcome, but at this time, we're concentrating on stories with horses in them. Once the camp is fully up and running, I'll add other fiction requests from the campers and counselors.

The address for donations:

Flying Horse Farms
225 Green Meadows Drive South, Suite A
Lewis Center, Ohio 43035

Website: Flying Horse Farms

To send directly from Amazon: wish list on Amazon

Watch the very short video about Flying Horse Farms. It's wonderful!

Emily and I are deeply grateful for your support.

Many thanks,
Sara Holmes

Book list - Jun 09

Waterless Mountain, children's, by Laura Adams Armer (Newbery Medal, 1932)
Any Which Wall - children's modern fantasy, by Laurel Snyder
Hanukkah, Shmanukkah! - children's, by Esmé Raji Codell
Alexandria - mystery, by Lindsey Davis
Seven-Day Magic - children's modern fantasy, by Edward Eager *
The Secret of the Old Mill - children's mystery (1962 version), by "Franklin W Dixon"
Give War a Chance - essays, by P J O'Rourke
Eat the Rich - economics, by P J O'Rourke
The Silver Branch - children's historical fiction, by Rosemary Sutcliff
The Castle of Llyr - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
Switcharound - children's, by Lois Lowry
The Book of Time - YA time travel, by Guillaume Prévost
Two Australians in Scotland - travel, by J P Young
A Stitch in Time - children's, by Penelope Lively
The Treasures of Weatherby - children's, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Story of Mankind - YA world history, by Hendrik Willem Van Loon (Newbery medal, 1922)
Taran Wanderer - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
Big Red - children's, by Jim Kjelgaard
The Black Canary - YA time travel, by Jane Louise Curry


19 books this month, with one reread. To reach my goal of 209 books this year, I have to average 17.417 per month, so I'm currently still behind track (but catching up!).

The Secret of the Old Mill, the third book in the Hardy Boys series, was originally published in 1927. In 1959 they began updating the series, with the following notice on the copyright page of each book:

In this new story, based on the original of the same title, Mr. Dixon has incorporated the most up-to-date methods used by police and private detectives.

Last month I read the original version of this book; this month I read the updated one. It was a major rewrite; the Hardys and two of their friends (Chet Morton and Tony Prito) are still there, but beyond the fact that they're investigating counterfeiters operating out of an old grist mill, there's very little resemblence between the two tales.

The Story of Mankind was the first book to receive the Newbery Medal. It was updated by its author in 1926, and has been updated a few more times since (including at least on update by van Loon's son Gerrit). The edition I read was published in 1984, and has 110 pages after the end of the 1926 update.

The two Newbery Medal winners bring my total thus far up to 83 of 88, while I'm still at 16 of 70 Carnegie Medal winners.

Carnegie Medal books

In addition to reading the Newbery Medal winners, I've started on the books which have been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal - the British equivalent of the Newbery Medal, now awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

The medal was first awarded in 1937, for the best children's book of 1936, but there have been three years when no book was considered suitable, so there are only 71 winners thus far. In addition to the gold medal, the winner receives £500 worth of books to donate to a library of his/her/their choice.

Here's the list. (Dates marked in red indicate the six books I had already read before last year; dates in purple indicate the ones I've read since.)

1936: Pigeon Post, by Arthur Ransome
1937: The Family from One End Street, by Eve Garnett
1938: The Circus is Coming, by Noel Streatfield
1939: Radium Woman, by Eleanor Doorly
1940: Visitors from London, by Kitty Barne
1941: We Couldn't Leave Dinah, by Mary Treadgold
1942: The Little Grey Men, by 'BB' (D J Watkins-Pitchford)
1943: Prize withheld as no book considered suitable
1944: The Wind on the Moon, by Eric Linklater
1945: Prize withheld as no book considered suitable
1946: The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge
1947: Collected Stories for Children, Walter De La Mare
1948: Sea Change, by Richard Armstrong
1949: The Story of Your Home, by Agnes Allen
1950: The Lark on the Wing, by Elfrida Vipont Foulds
1951: The Woolpack, by Cynthia Harnett
1952: The Borrowers, by Mary Norton
1953: A Valley Grows Up, by Edward Osmond
1954: Knight Crusader, by Ronald Welch (Felton Ronald Oliver)
1955: The Little Bookroom, by Eleanor Farjeon
1956: The Last Battle, by C S Lewis
1957: A Grass Rope, by William Mayne
1958: Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philipa Pearce
1959: The Lantern Bearers, by Rosemary Sutcliff
1960: The Making of Man, by Dr I W Cornwall
1961: A Stranger at Green Knowe, by Lucy M Boston
1962: The Twelve and the Genii, by Pauline Clarke
1963: Time of Trial, by Hester Burton
1964: Nordy Bank, by Sheena Porter
1965: The Grange at High Force, by Philip Turner
1966: Prize withheld as no book considered suitable
1967: The Owl Service, by Alan Garner
1968: The Moon in the Cloud, by Rosemary Harris
1969: The Edge of the Cloud, by Kathleen Peyton
1970: The God Beneath the Sea, by Leon Garfield and Edward Blishen
1971: Josh, by Ivan Southall
1972: Watership Down, by Richard Adams
1973: The Ghost of Thomas Kempe, by Penelope Lively
1974: The Stronghold, by Mollie Hunter
1975: The Machine Gunners, by Robert Westall
1976: Thunder and Lightnings, by Jan Mark
1977: The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler, by Gene Kemp
1978: The Exeter Blitz, by David Rees
1979: Tulku, by Peter Dickinson
1980: City of Gold, by Peter Dickinson
1981: The Scarecrows, by Robert Westall
1982: The Haunting, by Margaret Mahy
1983: Handles, by Jan Mark
1984: The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy
1985: Storm, by Kevin Crossley-Holland
1986: Granny was a Buffer Girl, by Berlie Doherty
1987: The Ghost Drum, by Susan Price
1988: A Pack of Lies, by Geraldine McCaughrean
1989: Goggle-eyes, by Anne Fine
1990: Wolf, by Gillian Cross
1991: Dear Nobody, by Berlie Doherty
1992: Flour Babies, by Anne Fine
1993: Stone Cold, by Robert Swindells
1994: Whispers in the Graveyard, by Theresa Breslin
1995: Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman*
1996: Junk, by Melvin Burgess
1997: River Boy, by Tim Bowler
1998: Skellig, by David Almond
1999: Postcards From No Man's Land, by Aidan Chambers
2000: The Other Side of Truth, by Beverley Naidoo
2001: The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett
2002: Ruby Holler, by Sharon Creech
2003: A Gathering Light, by Jennifer Donnelly
2004: Millions, by Frank Cottrell Boyce
2005: Tamar, by Mal Peet
2006: **
2007: Just in Case, by Meg Rosoff
2008: Here Lies Arthur, by Philip Reeve
2009: Bog Child, by Siobhan Dowd

So the count now is 16 down, 54 to go. Unfortunately, our local library system (Groton, Waterford and Mystic/Noank) only has a dozen or so of the ones I haven't read yet, so I'm going to have to make a lot of ILL requests....

I definitely thought Tulku was the better of the two I read this last quarter.


* His Dark Materials, Book 1. Published in the US as The Golden Compass.

** Up through the award for 2005, the winners were referred to by the year of publication. Beginning in 2007, the winners were referred to by the year the award was given, as with the American Newbery Medal. Thus there is no "2006 winner" of the Carnegie Medal. Tamar, the 2005 winner, was published in '05, and received the medal in '06. Just in Case, the 2007 winner, was published in '06 and received the award in '07.

Newbery Medal books

In March of '07, I took a look at a list of the 86 winners (now 88) of the John Newbery Medal, which is presented annually to the author of "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." I was somewhat shocked to discover that I had only read seven of the books (the newest of which was forty years old). So I've been reading my way through the list, and here's the current status. (Dates in red are the ones I had read before I started my current programme; dates in purple are the ones I've read since I started.)

1922: The Story of Mankind, by Hendrik Willem van Loon
1923: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting
1924: The Dark Frigate, by Charles Hawes
1925: Tales from Silver Lands, by Charles J Finger
1926: Shen of the Sea, by Arthur Bowie Chrisman
1927: Smoky, the Cowhorse, by Will James
1928: Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon, by Dhan Gopal Mukerji
1929: The Trumpeter of Krakow, by Eric P. Kelly
1930: Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field
1931: The Cat Who Went to Heaven, by Elizabeth Coatsworth
1932: Waterless Mountain, by Laura Adams Armer
1933: Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze, by Elizabeth Lewis
1934: Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women, by Cornelia Meigs
1935: Dobry, by Monica Shannon
1936: Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink
1937: Roller Skates, by Ruth Sawyer
1938: The White Stag, by Kate Seredy
1939: Thimble Summer, by Elizabeth Enright
1940: Daniel Boone, by James Daugherty
1941: Call It Courage, by Armstrong Sperry
1942: The Matchlock Gun, by Walter Edmonds
1943: Adam of the Road, by Elizabeth Janet Gray
1944: Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes
1945: Rabbit Hill, by Robert Lawson
1946: Strawberry Girl, by Lois Lenski
1947: Miss Hickory, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
1948: The Twenty-One Balloons, by William Pène du Bois
1949: King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry
1950: The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite de Angeli
1951: Amos Fortune, Free Man, by Elizabeth Yates
1952: Ginger Pye, by Eleanor Estes
1953: Secret of the Andes, by Ann Nolan Clark
1954: ...And Now Miguel, by Joseph Krumgold
1955: The Wheel on the School, by Meindert DeJong
1956: Carry On, Mr Bowditch, by Jean Lee Latham
1957: Miracles on Maple Hill, by Virginia Sorensen
1958: Rifles for Watie, by Harold Keith
1959: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
1960: Onion John, by Joseph Krumgold
1961: Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell
1962: The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare
1963: A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
1964: It's Like This, Cat, by Emily Neville
1965: Shadow of a Bull, by Maia Wojciechowska
1966: I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
1967: Up a Road Slowly, by Irene Hunt
1968: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, by E L Konigsburg
1969: The High King, by Lloyd Alexander
1970: Sounder, by William H Armstrong
1971: The Summer of the Swans, by Betsy Byars
1972: Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C O'Brien
1973: Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
1974: The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox
1975: M C Higgins, the Great, by Virginia Hamilton
1976: The Grey King, by Susan Cooper
1977: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D Taylor
1978: Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
1979: The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin
1980: A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-1832, by Joan W Blos
1981: Jacob Have I Loved, by Katherine Paterson
1982: A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers, by Nancy Willard
1983: Dicey's Song, by Cynthia Voigt
1984: Dear Mr Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary
1985: The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley
1986: Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan
1987: The Whipping Boy, by Sid Fleischman
1988: Lincoln: A Photobiography, by Russell Freedman
1989: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, by Paul Fleischman
1990: Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
1991: Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli
1992: Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
1993: Missing May, by Cynthia Rylant
1994: The Giver, by Lois Lowry
1995: Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech
1996: The Midwife's Apprentice, by Karen Cushman
1997: The View from Saturday, by E L Konigsburg
1998: Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse
1999: Holes, by Louis Sachar
2000: Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis
2001: A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck
2002: A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
2003: Crispin: The Cross of Lead, by Avi
2004: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread, by Kate DiCamillo
2005: Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata
2006: Criss Cross, by Lynne Rae Perkins
2007: The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron, illustrated by Matt Phelan
2008: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura Amy Schlitz
2009: The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

So the count is now 83 down, five to go. The Groton library and the other two libraries (Waterford and Mystic/Noank) in our library system have most of the others, so Daniel Boone - almost the only Newbery winner (if not the only one) not currently in print - is the only one I'll have to ILL.

Of the eight I read this quarter, I definitely enjoyed The Hero and the Crown and The Story of Mankind the most.