Smoking may be hazardous to your health

ZUI this article from WFAA TV (Dallas):

A Dallas physician is accused of trying to run over someone he allegedly saw smoking near his car.

H/T to Dr Grumpy.

Victoria Cross: C. C. Teesdale

CHRISTOPHER CHARLES TEESDALE, CB

Lieutenant, Royal Artillery

Born: 1 June 1833, Grahamstown, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Died: 1 December 1893, South Bersted, Sussex

Citation: For gallant conduct, in having, while acting as Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Sir William Fenwick Williams, Bart., K.C.B., at Kars, volunteered [on 29 September 1855] to take command of the force engaged in the defence of the most advanced part of the works, — the key of the position — against the attack of the Russian Army; when, by throwing himself into the midst of the enemy, who had penetrated into the above redoubt, he encouraged the garrison to make an attack, so vigorous, as to drive out the Russians therefrom, and prevent its capture; also for having, during the hottest part of the action, when the enemy's fire had driven the Turkish Artillerymen from their guns, rallied the latter, and by his intrepid example induced them to return to their post; and further, after having led the final charge which completed the victory of the day, for having, at the greatest personal risk, saved from the fury of the Turks, a considerable number of the disabled among the enemy, who were lying wounded outside the works, — an action witnessed, and acknowledged gratefully before the Russian Staff, by General Mouravieff.

[London Gazette issue 22043 dated 25 Sep 1857, published 25 Sep 1857.]


Note: Teesdale, the first VC recipient born in South Africa, was awarded the Legion d'honneur and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1856. At the time of his death he was Major-General Sir Christopher Teesdale, VC KCMG CB.
Kars, part of the mediaeval kingdom of Armenia, is now in Turkey.

Medal of Honor: F. H. Furness

FRANK HEYLING FURNESS

Captain, Company F, 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry

Born: 12 November 1839, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died: 27 June 1912

Citation: Voluntarily carried a box of ammunition across an open space swept by the enemy's fire [at Trevilian Station, Virginia, on 12 June 1864] to the relief of an outpost whose ammunition had become almost exhausted, but which was thus enabled to hold its important position.

Victoria Cross: T. J. Crean

THOMAS JOSEPH CREAN

Surgeon-Captain, 1st Imperial Light Horse

Born: 19 April 1873, Dublin, Ireland
Died: 25 March 1923, Mayfair, Central London

Citation: During the action with De Wet at Tygerskloof, on the 18th December, 1901, this Officer continued to attend to the wounded in the firing line, under a heavy fire at only 150 yards range, after he had himself been wounded, and only desisted when he was hit a second time, and, as it was at first thought, mortally wounded.

[London Gazette issue 27405 dated 11 Feb 1902, published 11 Feb 1902.]

Medal of Honor: W. E. Osborne

WEEDON EDWARD OSBORNE

Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Dental Corps, US Navy; attached 6th Regiment, US Marines

Born: 13 November 1892, Chicago, Illinois
Died: 6 June 1918, near Château-Thierry, France

Citation: For extraordinary heroism while attached to the 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines, in actual conflict with the enemy and under fire during the advance on Bouresche, France, on 6 June 1918. In the hottest of the fighting when the marines made their famous advance on Bouresche at the southern edge of Belleau Wood, Lt (j.g.). Osborne threw himself zealously into the work of rescuing the wounded. Extremely courageous in the performance of this perilous task, he was killed while carrying a wounded officer to a place of safety.

Victoria Cross; A. L. Aaron

ARTHUR LOUIS AARON, DFM

Acting Flight Sergeant, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve; 218 Squadron

Born: 5 March 1922, Leeds, Yorkshire
Died: 13 August 1943, Bone Hospital, Algeria

Citation: On the night of I2th August, 1943, Flight Sergeant Aaron was captain and pilot of a Stirling aircraft detailed to attack Turin. When approaching to attack, the bomber received devastating bursts of fire from an enemy fighter. Three engines were hit, the windscreen shattered, the front and rear turrets put out of action and the elevator control damaged, causing the aircraft to become unstable and difficult to control. The navigator was killed and other members of the crew were wounded.
A bullet struck Flight Sergeant Aaron in the face, breaking his jaw and tearing away part of his face. He was also wounded in the lung and his right arm was rendered useless. As he fell forward over the control column, the aircraft dived several thousand feet. Control was regained by the flight engineer at 3,000 feet. Unable to speak, Flight Sergeant Aaron urged the bomb aimer by signs to take over the controls. Course was then set southwards in an endeavour to fly the crippled bomber, with one engine out of action, to Sicily or North Africa.
Flight Sergeant Aaron was assisted to the rear of the aircraft and treated with morphia. After resting for some time he rallied and, mindful of his responsibility as captain of aircraft, insisted on returning to the pilot's cockpit, where he was lifted into his seat and had his feet placed on the rudder bar. Twice he made determined attempts to take control and hold the aircraft to its course but his weakness was evident and with difficulty he was persuaded to desist. Though in great pain and suffering from exhaustion, he continued to help by writing directions with his left hand.
Five hours after leaving the target the petrol began to run low, but soon afterwards the flare path at Bone airfield was sighted. Flight Sergeant Aaron summoned his failing strength to direct the bomb aimer in the hazardous task of landing the damaged aircraft in the darkness with undercarriage retracted. Four attempts were made under his direction; at the fifth Flight Sergeant Aaron was so near to collapsing that he had to be restrained by the crew and the landing was completed by the bomb aimer.
Nine hours after landing, Flight Sergeant Aaron died from exhaustion. Had he been content, when grievously wounded, to lie still and conserve his failing strength, he would probably have recovered, but he saw it as his duty to exert himself to the utmost, if necessary with his last breath, to ensure that his aircraft and crew did not fall into enemy hands. In appalling conditions he showed the greatest qualities of courage, determination and leadership and, though wounded and dying, he set an example of devotion to duty which has seldom been equalled and never surpassed.

[London Gazette issue 36235 dated 5 Nov 1943, published 2 Nov 1943.]

Medal of Honor: F. W. Stockham

FRED WILLIAM STOCKHAM (Army Medal)

Gunnery Sergeant, US Marine Corps; 96th Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment

Born: 16 March 1881, Detroit, Michigan
Died: 22 June 1918, France

Citation: During an intense enemy bombardment with high explosive and gas shells which wounded or killed many members of the company [in the Bois-de-Belleau, France, on 13-14 June 1918], G/Sgt. Stockham, upon noticing that the gas mask of a wounded comrade was shot away, without hesitation, removed his own gas mask and insisted upon giving it to the wounded man, well knowing that the effects of the gas would be fatal to himself. He continued with undaunted courage and valor to direct and assist in the evacuation of the wounded, until he himself collapsed from the effects of gas, dying as a result thereof a few days later. His courageous conduct undoubtedly saved the lives of many of his wounded comrades and his conspicuous gallantry and spirit of self-sacrifice were a source of great inspiration to all who served with him.


Note: USS Stockham (DD 683) and USNS GYSGT Fred W Stockham (T-AK 3017) were named in his honour.

George Cross: W. R. Mosedale

WILLIAM RADENHURST MOSEDALE

Station Officer and Rescue Officer, Birmingham Fire Brigade

Born: 29 March 1894, Highgate, Birmingham, Warwickshire
Died: 27 March 1971, Nailsea, Somerset

Citation: An Auxiliary Fire Station was completely demolished by a very large high explosive bomb [on 11 December 1940]. A number of Auxiliary Firemen were trapped in the station and civilians were buried in an adjoining house which had also been demolished.
Station Officer Mosedale immediately began tunnelling and propping operations. Hundreds of tons of debris covered the site and Mosedale fully realised that at any moment he might be buried by a further collapse.
When the first tunnel was completed and the Control Room reached, he found that there were still men whom he could not extricate. He carried out another tunnelling operation from a different direction and again entered the Control Room. Five men were found, one dead, the others injured.
The Station Officer crawled through and administered oxygen to the injured men and they were then taken out through the tunnel.
The entrance to the cellar of the private house was full of debris. Station Officer Mosedale directed operations for removing this, only to find that the cellar itself had collapsed. He nevertheless persevered and, after a time, reached seven people who were trapped. Three had been killed outright when the roof collapsed. He gave oxygen to the remaining four and succeeded in extricating them.
To reach other victims it was again necessary to tunnel, and Mosedale immediately commenced this work. The dangers to be faced were similar to those which he had found in reaching the Control Room. He nevertheless completed the tunnel and entered the cellar under the Fire Station. Four men who were alive were given oxygen and, despite their injuries, were safely removed.
Tunnelling through such difficult material had necessarily been extremely hazardous, and the cellar collapsed completely, shortly after the removal of the last victim.
These operations, which lasted more than twelve hours, were carried out under a most intense bombardment. Twelve lives were saved by Station Officer Mosedale who showed outstanding gallantry and resource. In effecting the rescues he repeatedly risked his own life.

[London Gazette issue 35117 dated 28 Mar 1941, published 25 Mar 1941.]

Victoria Cross: J. Travers

JAMES TRAVERS

Colonel, 2nd Bengal Native Infantry

Born: 6 October 1821, Cork, County Cork, Ireland
Died: 1 April 1884, Pallanza, Italy

Citation: For a daring act of bravery, in July, 1857, when the Indore Presidency was suddenly attacked by Holkar's Troops, in having charged the guns with only five men to support him, and driven the Gunners from the guns, thereby creating a favourable diversion, which saved the lives of many persons, fugitives to the Residency.
It is stated that Officers who were present considered that the effect of the charge was to enable many Europeans to escape from actual slaughter, and time was gained which enabled the faithful Bhopal Artillery to man their guns. Colonel Travers's horse was shot in three places, and his accoutrements were shot through in various parts. He commanded the Bhopal Levy.

[London Gazette issue 22485 dated 1 Mar 1861, published 1 Mar 1861.]

Medal of Honor: A. Paine

ADAM PAINE

Private, Indian Scouts

Born: 1843, Florida
Died: 1877

Citation: Rendered invaluable service to Col. R. S. Mackenzie, 4th U.S. Cavalry, during this engagement [at the Canyon Blanco tributary of the Red River, Texas, on 26-27 September 1874].

Book list - Feb 11

Please Ignore Vera Dietz - YA, by A S King
Moon Over Manifest - children's historical fiction, by Claire Vanderpool (Newbery Medal, 2011)
Cowboy Angels - SF, by Paul McAuley
Murder with Puffins - mystery, by Donna Andrews
Dragonseye (aka Red Star Rising) - SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
All the Weyrs of Pern - SF, by Anne McCaffrey *
Abracadaver - historical mystery, by Peter Lovesey
Here Abide Monsters - fantasy, by Andre Norton *
Elsie and Mairi Go to War: Two Extraordinary Women on the Western Front - WW I, by Diane Atkinson


Nine books last month, with three rereads (marked by asterisks). I'm not setting an official goal this year, though I do expect to read around 200 books.

No Carnegie Medal winners, so I'm still at 48 of 71.

Onward....

RIP: Frank Buckles

Frank Woodruff Buckles
1 Feb 1901 – 27 Feb 2011

The last surviving US veteran of World War I has died. ZUI this article from Fox News:

He was repeatedly rejected by military recruiters and got into uniform at 16 after lying about his age. But Frank Buckles would later become the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I.

Buckles, who also survived being a civilian POW in the Philippines in World War II, died of natural causes Sunday at his home in Charles Town, biographer and family spokesman David DeJonge said in a statement. He was 110.

*******

More than 4.7 million people joined the U.S. military from 1917-18. As of spring 2007, only three were still alive, according to a tally by the Department of Veterans Affairs: Buckles, J. Russell Coffey of Ohio and Harry Richard Landis of Florida.

*******

Coffey died Dec. 20, 2007, at age 109, while Landis died Feb. 4, 2008, at 108. Unlike Buckles, those two men were still in basic training in the United States when the war ended and did not make it overseas.

The last known Canadian veteran of the war, John Babcock of Spokane, Wash., died in February 2010.

There are no French or German veterans of the war left alive.

Buckles served in England and France, working mainly as a driver and a warehouse clerk. The fact he did not see combat didn't diminish his service, he said: "Didn't I make every effort?"

*******

He married in 1946 and moved to his farm in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle in 1954, where he and wife Audrey raised their daughter, Susannah Flanagan. Audrey Buckles died in 1999.

ZUI also this article from Voice of America News:

Buckles wanted to serve when World War I broke out, and his lie to the recruiter made it possible. Shortly afterward, at age 16, he deployed to Europe as an ambulance driver. He saw the horror of war close up, ferrying the wounded from the trenches to primitive field hospitals. Later, he drove German prisoners back to Germany.

Buckles left the army in 1920 and years later he went to work for a shipping company in the Philippines. When World War II broke out, he and other Americans there were put in prison camps by the occupying Japanese forces. Although he was not a soldier at that time, he spent more than three years in the notorious Los Baňos prison.

According to Wikipedia, there are now only two surviving WWI veterans: Claude Choules, in Australia, who served with the Royal Navy,* and Women's Royal Air Force veteran Florence Green. The last Italian veteran, Delfino Borroni, died on 26 Oct 08; the last Australian, John Campbell Ross, on 3 Jun 09; the last French veteran, Pierre Picault, on 20 Nov 08, and the last Canadian, John Babcock, on 18 Feb 2010. On the other side, the last German veteran, Erich Kästner, died on 1 Jan 08; the last Turkish veteran, Yakup Satar, on 2 Apr 2008; and the last Austro-Hungarian veteran, Franz Künstler, on 27 May 2008. (Künstler was born in Hungary; the last Austrian-born survivor was August Bischof, who died on 4 March 2006.)


* Choules also served in World War II, with the Royal Australian Navy.

Victoria Cross: Lindsay, M'Kechnie and Reynolds

ROBERT JAMES LINDSAY

Brevet Major, Scots Fusilier Guards

Born: 17 April 1832, Balcarres, Fife, Scotland
Died: 10 June 1901, Wantage, Berkshire

Citation: When the formation of the line of the Regiment was disordered at Alma [on 20 Sep 1854], Captain Lindsay stood firm with the Colours, and by his example and energy, greatly tended to restore order.
At Inkerman [on 5 November 1854], at a most trying moment, he, with a few men, charged a party of Russians, driving them back, and running one through the body himself.

[London Gazette issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.]




JAMES M'KECHNIE

Serjeant, Scots Fusilier Guards

Born: June 1826, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died: 5 July 1886, Glasgow, Scotland

Citation: When the formation of the Regiment was disordered at Alma [on 20 Sep 1854], for having behaved gallantly, and rallied the men round the Colours.

[London Gazette issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.]









WILLIAM REYNOLDS

Private, Scots Fusilier Guards

Born: 1827, Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: 20 October 1869, Strand, Centre London

Citation: When the formation of the line was disordered at Alma [on 20 Sep 1854], for having behaved in a conspicuous manner in rallying the men round the Colours.

[London Gazette issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.]

Medal of Honor: E. Childers

ERNEST CHILDERS

Second Lieutenant, US Army; 45th Infantry Division

Born: 1 February 1918, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Died: 17 March 2005

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action on 22 September 1943, at Oliveto, Italy. Although 2d Lt. Childers previously had just suffered a fractured instep he, with 8 enlisted men, advanced up a hill toward enemy machinegun nests. The group advanced to a rock wall overlooking a cornfield and 2d Lt. Childers ordered a base of fire laid across the field so that he could advance. When he was fired upon by 2 enemy snipers from a nearby house he killed both of them. He moved behind the machinegun nests and killed all occupants of the nearer one. He continued toward the second one and threw rocks into it. When the 2 occupants of the nest raised up, he shot 1. The other was killed by 1 of the 8 enlisted men. 2d Lt. Childers continued his advance toward a house farther up the hill, and single-handed, captured an enemy mortar observer. The exceptional leadership, initiative, calmness under fire, and conspicuous gallantry displayed by 2d Lt. Childers were an inspiration to his men.

Victoria Cross: T. Edwards

THOMAS EDWARDS

Private, 1st Battalion, Royal Highlanders

Born: 19 April 1863, Brill, Buckinghamshire
Died: 27 March 1952, Woodford Bridge, London

Citation: For the conspicuous bravery displayed by him in defence of one of the guns of the Naval Brigade, at the battle of Tamai, on 13th March, 1884.
This man (who was attached to the Naval Brigade as Mule Driver) was beside the gun with Lieutenant Almack, R.N., and a blue jacket. Both the latter were killed, and Edwards, after bayonetting two Arabs, and himself receiving a wound with a spear, rejoined the ranks with his mules, and subsequently did good service in remaining by his gun throughout the action.

[London Gazette issue 25356 dated 21 May 1884, published 21 May 1884.]

Medal of Honor: R. I. Bong

RICHARD IRA BONG

Major, US Army Air Corps; V Fighter Command

Born: 24 September 1920, Poplar, Wisconsin
Died: 6 August 1945, North Hollywood, California

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in the Southwest Pacific area from 10 October to 15 November 1944. Though assigned to duty as gunnery instructor and neither required nor expected to perform combat duty, Maj. Bong voluntarily and at his own urgent request engaged in repeated combat missions, including unusually hazardous sorties over Balikpapan, Borneo, and in the Leyte area of the Philippines. His aggressiveness and daring resulted in his shooting down 8 enemy airplanes during this period.


Note: Major Bong was killed when the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star he was flying crashed following a fuel-pump malfunction.

Richard I Bong AFB, Wisconsin, was named in his honour. The uncompleted base was closed in 1960, and is now the Richard Bong State Recreation Area.

The Cybils: 2010 winners

The winners of the 2010 Cybils (Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards) were announced yesterday:

Elementary & Middle Grade Fiction

Picture Books
Interrupting Chicken, by David Ezra Stein

Nonfiction Picture Books
The Extraordinary Life of Mark Twain (According to Susy), by Barbara Kerley

Easy Readers
We Are in a Book!, by Mo Willems

Short Chapter Books
Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off, written by Jacqueline Jules and illustrated by Miguel Benitez

Poetry
Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse, written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josée Masse

Graphic Novels
Meanwhile: Pick Any Path. 3856 Story Possibilities, by Jason Shiga

Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Shadows (The Books of Elsewhere, Vol 1), by Jacqueline West

Middle Grade Fiction
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger


Young Adult

Non-fiction
The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing, by Suzanne Jurmain

Graphic Novels
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, written by G Neri and illustrated by Randy duBurke

Fantasy & Science Fiction
Rot & Ruin, by Jonathan Maberry

Young Adult Fiction
Split, by Swati Avasthi

Congratulations to all the winners! Not sure about the others, but I'm definitely going to be checking our public library for The Shadows.

The post linked to above includes comments on each book. Links to the complete list of finalists (by category) can be found here, and a sidebar there links to complete lists of nominees.

Victoria Cross: F. A. Maxwell

FRANCIS AYLMER MAXWELL, DSO

Lieutenant, Indian Staff Corps, attached Roberts's Light Horse

Born: 7 September 1871, Guildford, Surrey
Died: 21 September 1917, Ypres, Belgium

Citation: Lieutenant Maxwell was one of three Officers not belonging to "Q" Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, specially mentioned by Lord Roberts as having shown the greatest gallantry, and disregard of danger, in carrying out the self-imposed duty of saving the guns of that Battery during the affair at Korn Spruit on 31st March, 1900. This Officer went out on five different occasions and assisted to bring in two guns and three limbers, one of which he, Captain Humphreys, and some Gunners, dragged in by hand.
He also went out with Captain Humphreys and Lieutenant Stirling to try to get the last gun in, and remained there till the attempt was abandoned.
During a previous Campaign (the Chitral Expedition of 1895) Lieutenant Maxwell displayed gallantry in the removal of the body of Lieutenant-Colonel F. D. Battye, Corps of Guides, under fire, for which, though recommended, he received no reward.

[London Gazette issue 27292 dated 8 Mar 1901, published 8 Mar 1901.]


Note: Major E J Phipps-Hornby, Sergeant C E H Parker, Gunner I Lodge and Driver H H Glasock, all of Q Battery, RHA, also received the Victoria Cross for this action.

Medal of Honor: W. F. Lukes and J. F. Merton

WILLIAM F LUKES

Landsman, US Navy; USS Colorado

Born: 18 February 1847, Niderbergdorf, Bohemia
Died: 13 December 1923, Los Angeles, California

Citation: Served with Company D during the capture of the Korean forts [on the Han River], 9 and 10 June 1871. Fighting the enemy inside the fort, Lukes received a severe cut over the head.










JAMES F MERTON

Landsman, US Navy; USS Colorado

Born: 1843, Cheshire, England
Died: unknown

Citation: Landsman and member of Company D during the capture of the Korean forts [on the Han River], 9 and 10 June 1871, Merton was severely wounded in the arm while trying to force his way into the fort.


Note: This action was a result of an attack by Korean shore batteries on two American warships in the Ganghwa Straits on 1 June 1871.

George Cross: J. R. O. Thompson

JENKIN ROBERT OSWALD THOMPSON

Captain, Royal Army Medical Corps

Born: 13 July 1911
Died: 24 January 1944, Anzio, Italy

Citation: The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumous award of the GEORGE CROSS, in recognition of most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner, to: —
Captain Jenkin Robert Oswald Thompson (115213), Royal Army Medical Corps (Claygate, Surrey).

[London Gazette issue 36918 dated 2 Feb 1945, published 30 Jan 1945.]


Note: Captain Thompson was serving aboard HM Hospital Ship St David when that vessel was attacked by enemy dive bombers off Anzio. With the ship rapidly sinking, Thompson organised parties to remove the wounded to safety in nearby boats. One patient in Thompson's ward remained trapped belowdecks when the order was given for all to save themselves. Thompson returned alone to attempt to save this man. Unable to do so, he remained with him, and both men died when the ship went down.