RIP: Millvina Dean

Elizabeth Gladys Dean
2 Feb 1912 - 31 May 2009

The last survivor of RMS Titanic has died. ZUI this article from the Los Angeles Times:

Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the legendary ocean liner Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912 after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic, died Sunday. She was 97.

She died at a nursing home near Southampton, England, the port where she and her family boarded the ship, according to Charles Haas, the president of the Titanic International Society. Her death came on the 98th anniversary of the launching of the Titanic, on May 31, 1911.

"She was a remarkable, sparkling lady," Haas told The Times on Sunday. "She knew her place in history and was always willing to share her story with others, especially children. She was the last living link to the story."

Dean was about 8 weeks old when she and her family set sail, third class, on the luxury ocean liner on April 10, 1912. Five days later, she was among about 700 passengers and crew who were rescued off the coast of Newfoundland. She and her mother, Georgetta, 32, and her brother Bertram, 23 months old, were put into lifeboats. Her father, Bertram, 27, stayed on board the ship and was among more than 1,500 passengers and crew members who went down with the Titanic.

She had no memory of the disaster, but at age 8 her mother told her what had happened. "It was so awful for her that she never wanted to speak about it," Dean said of her mother in a 2002 interview with the Irish News. Georgetta Dean suffered severe headaches every day for years after the ship's sinking.

*******

Dean attended secretarial school. During World War II, she moved to London and worked as a mapmaker for the British Army. She later returned to Southampton and was a secretary at an engineering firm. For many years, she lived in a house in nearby New Forest. She never married.

Born on Feb. 12 [sic], 1912, Dean might easily have gone through life without telling anyone that she was a passenger on the Titanic. She ignored the books, movies, clubs, websites and submarine tours of the shipwreck after it was found in 1985, 12,500 feet under the surface of the North Atlantic.

Her anonymity ended in 1987 when she attended a memorial service in Southampton on the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

*******

In 1998, Dean finally completed the sea voyage from Southampton to New York City that she had set out to make 86 years earlier. She traveled on the Queen Elizabeth II, compliments of Michael Rudd, a Titanic enthusiast and travel agent in Missouri. He and Dean gave a presentation together during the voyage.

"She hadn't been on a ship since 1912," Rudd said in a 2007 interview with The Times. "People crowded around her, they just wanted to touch her."

*******

Dean's mother died in 1975, at 95. Her brother died in 1992 on the 80th anniversary of the ship's sinking. He was 81. Dean is survived by two nephews and two nieces.

The Times has an article with further information here.

Bertram and Millvina Dean, ca 1912

ZUI also this article from The Telegraph:

Although she had no memories of the disaster, Millvina Dean always said it had shaped her life, because she should have grown up in the United States instead of returning to Britain. She died on the 98th anniversary of the launching of Titanic – the ship that was billed as "practically unsinkable". Built in Belfast, the White Star Line vessel became infamous for not having enough lifeboats on board, leading to the deaths of so many passengers.

*******

Elizabeth Gladys Dean, always known as Millvina, was born on February 2 1912 in London, where her parents ran a pub. She was only nine weeks old in April when the family left Britain for America, intending to settle in Kansas City, where her father had hoped to open a tobacconist's shop.

Travelling steerage, the Deans had originally booked on another White Star liner, possibly Adriatic, but were transferred to Titanic because of a coal strike.

The family boarded at Southampton on the morning of Wednesday April 10, the infant Millvina, her parents and brother, who was a few weeks short of his second birthday. They embarked with 493 other third class passengers joining the vessel at Southampton, on a family ticket that had cost her father £20 11s 6d.

*******

At 11.40pm the following Sunday, baby Millvina was asleep in her cot when her father heard a crash, woke the family and told them to dress warmly.

Like many third-class passengers, they found it difficult to get on deck.

"It was so dreadful for my mother," Millvina later recalled. "It was heartbreaking.

"She said goodbye to my father and he said he'd be along later." Millvina Dean said her father's quick actions had saved his family. He had felt the ship scrape the iceberg and hustled the family out of its quarters and towards the lifeboat that would take them to safety. "That's partly what saved us – because he was so quick," she explained.

A sailor bundled her into a sack and put her into lifeboat 13, which was lowered into the freezing Atlantic. It was a bitterly cold night but after several hours Millvina, her 32 year old mother, Ettie, and brother Bertram were picked up by the Cunarder Carpathia. Although some 700 others survived, her father perished – like many of the men – because there were not enough lifeboats.

The surviving Deans returned to England aboard the liner Adriatic, Millvina being the object of some astonishment that such a tiny baby should have made it to safety. First and second class passengers on Adriatic queued to hold her, and many took photographs of her, her mother and brother, some of which accompanied breathless stories in the newspapers.

The Daily Mirror, for example, reported that Millvina "was the pet of the liner during the voyage, and so keen was the rivalry between women to nurse this lovable mite of humanity that one of the officers decreed that first and second class passengers might hold her in turn for no more than 10 minutes".

Back in England, Ettie Dean and her children lived with her parents on their farm in the New Forest; an emergency relief fund paid her £40 and a pension of £1 3s a week for the care of her children until they were 18. In 1920, Ettie married Leonard Burden, the vet who attended her parents' farm. She died in 1975 aged 96.

*******

After Millvina Dean, the second-youngest passenger aboard Titanic was Barbara West, who was nearly 11 months old when the liner sank. She also survived. Barbara Dainton, as she became after her marriage, died in October 2007, leaving Millvina Dean as the last Titanic survivor.

I reported on Dainton's death here.

RMS Titanic in Southampton

Book list - May 09

Lionboy - children's, by Zizou Corder
World War I: The African Front - WW I, by Edward Paice
Eight is Enough - family life, by Thomas Wardell Braden *
Uncharted Stars - SF, by Andre Norton *
Nightfall - SF, by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg
Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World - European history, by Roger Crowley
Amos Fortune, Free Man - children's biography, by Elizabeth Yates (Newbery Medal, 1951)
Witch World - fantasy, by Andre Norton *
Web of the Witch World - fantasy, by Andre Norton *
Year of the Unicorn - fantasy, by Andre Norton *
Lincoln: A Photobiography - children's biography, by Russell Freedman (Newbery Medal, 1988)
Shen of the Sea - children's (short stories), by Arthur Bowie Chrisman (Newbery Medal, 1926)
The Secret of the Old Mill - children's mystery, by "Franklin W Dixon"
The Hero and the Crown - children's fantasy, by Robin McKinley (Newbery Medal, 1985)
The Capricorn Bracelet - children's historical fiction, by Rosemary Sutcliff
The Book of Three - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
The Black Cauldron - children's fantasy, by Lloyd Alexander
The White Stag - children's mythology, by Kate Seredy (Newbery Medal, 1938)
Fields of Battle: The Wars for North America - American history, by John Keegan
The Mystery of the Ivory Charm - children's mystery, by "Carolyn Keene"


20 books this month, with the four or five rereads (I'm not entirely certain if I read Eight Is Enough back in the '70s or not) marked by asterisks. To reach my goal of 209 books this year, I'll have to average 17.417 per month, so I'm currently still a bit behind.

"Franklin W Dixon" and "Carolyn Keene" were Stratemeyer Syndicate house names. The Secret of the Old Mill (1927) was the third book in the Hardy Boys series, and The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (1936) was the 13th Nancy Drew book. Revised editions of the earliest books in both series were published beginning in 1959, but in the 1990s Applewood books began issuing reprints of the original texts; these were what I read this month.

The five Newbery Medal winners bring my total thus far up to 81 of 88, while I'm still at 16 of 69 Carnegie Medal winners.

Victoria Cross: C. R. G. Bassett

CYRIL ROYSTON GUYTON BASSETT

Corporal, New Zealand Divisional Signal Company, New Zealand Expeditionary Force

Born: 3 January 1892, Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand
Died: 9 January 1983, Stanley Point, Devonport, New Zealand

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the Chunuk Bair Ridge in the Gallipoli Peninsula on 7th August, 1915.
After the New Zealand Infantry Brigade had attacked and established itself on the ridge, Corporal Bassett, in full daylight and under a continuous and heavy fire, succeeded in laying a telephone line from the old position to the new one on Chunuk Bair. He has subsequently been brought to notice for further excellent and most gallant work connected with the repair of telephone lines by day and night under heavy fire.

(London Gazette Issue 29328 dated 15 Oct 1915, published 15 Oct 1915.)

Medal of Honor: W. Wilson

WILLIAM WILSON

Sergeant, Company I, 4th US Cavalry

Born: 1847, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died: 22 December 1895

Citation: In pursuit of a band of cattle thieves from New Mexico [on 28 March 1872, at Colorado Valley, Texas].













Citation: Distinguished conduct in action with Indians [on 29 September 1872], Red River, Tex.


Note: One of 19 men to be awarded the Medal of Honor twice.

DC and US Territories quarters

The last five coins in the series of quarters commemorating the fifty states were released last year. What didn't get a lot of press, though, was that six more quarters are being released this year, for the District of Columbia and five US Territories. I found my first one, a DC coin, this morning.

The District of Columbia was established on 16 Jul 1790 to serve as the capital of the new United States, as authorised by Section Eight of the First Amendment. On 9 Sep 1791,the federal city to be constructed within the district was named in honour of George Washington, and the district was named the Territory of Columbia. The obverse of the coin, released on 26 January, shows jazz musician Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (29 Apr 1899–24 May 1974), who was born and raised in Washington DC, along with the inscription "Justice For All."

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, consisting of the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller islands and keys, became a US territory after the Spanish-American War, in 1898. The coin, released on 30 March, shows a view of the sea from a sentry box in Old San Juan, hibiscus flowers, and the inscription "Isla del Encanto" (Isle of Enchantment).

Guam also became a US territory after the Spanish-American War. The coin, released on 26 May, shows a map of the island of Guam, along with a sailing vessel known as a flying Proa and a Latte, a stone pillar used in ancient houses. The accompanying inscription reads "Guåhan Tånó I Man Chamorro" (Guam, Land of the Chamorro).

American Samoa has been a US territory since 1899, when the Tripartite Convention divided the Samoan archipelago between Germany and the United States. The coin, scheduled for release on 27 July, shows an ava bowl, a whisk and a staff, items used in special Samoan ceremonies, with a background image of the coastline. The inscription reads "Samoa Muamua Le Atua" ("Samoa, God is First").

The US Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark, which had held them since the 17th century, in 1917. The coin, to be released on 28 September, shows a bananaquit (Coereba flaveola), a yellow elder (Tacoma stans) flower and a Tyre palm (Coccothrinax alta); in the background is an outline of the three main islands, St Croix, St John and St Thomas.

The Northern Mariana Islands have been administered by the United States since 1945, as part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; commonwealth status was achieved in 1978. The coin, scheduled for release on 30 November, shows a Latte amongst coconut trees, wild plants, native birds, and a proa; beneath these is a Carolinian mwar (head lei), composed of plumeria, ylang ylang, peacock flower and teibwo (Pacific basil).

NASA news

Four NASA press releases from the last week, beginning with this one dated 24 May:

NASA's Space Shuttle Returns to Earth after Hubble Mission

Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew landed at 8:39 a.m. PDT Sunday at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., completing the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis' astronauts conducted five successful spacewalks during their STS-125 flight to enhance and extend the life of the orbiting observatory.

"This mission highlights what the challenges of spaceflight can bring out in human beings," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This mission required the absolute best from the shuttle team, the Hubble science and repair teams, and the crew. The results are a tribute to the entire team and the years of preparation."

Atlantis' nearly 13-day mission of almost 5.3 million miles rejuvenated Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments designed to improve the telescope's discovery capabilities by as much as 70 times, while extending its lifetime through at least 2014.

*******

Scott Altman commanded the shuttle flight and was joined by Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Mission Specialists Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, Andrew Feustel and Michael Good. McArthur served as the flight engineer and lead for robotic arm operations, while the remaining mission specialists paired up for challenging spacewalks on Hubble.

Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the primary end-of-mission landing site. In seven to 10 days, Atlantis will be transported approximately 2,500 miles from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet. Once at Kennedy, the shuttle will be separated from the aircraft to begin processing for its next flight, targeted for November 2009.

The STS-125 mission was the 126th shuttle flight, the 30th for Atlantis and the second of five planned for 2009. Hubble was delivered to space on April 24, 1990, on the STS-31 mission. Atlantis' landing at Edwards was the 53rd shuttle landing to occur at the desert air base.

*******

With Atlantis and its crew safely home, the focus will shift to the launch of STS-127, targeted for June 13. Endeavour's 16-day flight will deliver a new station crew member and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will serve as a type of "back porch" for experiments that require direct exposure to space.

Next, this one dated 27 May:

New Station Crew Launches on Soyuz; Briefing From Space on June 1

The International Space Station crew is awaiting the arrival of three new members that will usher in an era of six-person crews aboard the orbiting laboratory. Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Bob Thirsk launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft Wednesday morning from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The Soyuz is scheduled to dock with the station at 8:36 a.m. EDT Friday, May 29. The trio will join station Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineers Mike Barratt of NASA and Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to form the Expedition 20 crew. It will mark the first time all five partner agencies are represented by astronauts on the station at the same time.

And this one, also dated 27 May:

NASA Selects Student's Entry as New Mars Rover Name

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for launch in 2011, has a new name thanks to a sixth-grade student from Kansas. Twelve-year-old Clara Ma from the Sunflower Elementary school in Lenexa submitted the winning entry, "Curiosity." As her prize, Ma wins a trip to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., where she will be invited to sign her name directly onto the rover as it is being assembled.

A NASA panel selected the name following a nationwide student contest that attracted more than 9,000 proposals via the Internet and mail. The panel primarily took into account the quality of submitted essays. Name suggestions from the Mars Science Laboratory project leaders and a non-binding public poll also were considered.

"Students from every state suggested names for this rover. That's testimony to the excitement Mars missions spark in our next generation of explorers," said Mark Dahl, the mission's program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Many of the nominating essays were excellent and several of the names would have fit well. I am especially pleased with the choice, which recognizes something universally human and essential to science."

*******

The naming contest was conducted in partnership with Disney-Pixar's animated film "WALL-E." The activity invited ideas from students 5 - 18 years old enrolled in a U.S. school. The contest started in November 2008. Entries were accepted until midnight Jan. 25.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures supplied the prizes for the contest, including 30 for semifinalists related to "WALL-E." Nine finalists have been invited to provide messages to be placed on a microchip mounted on Curiosity. The microchip also will contain the names of thousands of people around the world who have "signed" their names electronically via the Internet. Additional electronic signatures still are being accepted via the Internet.

And finally, this one dated 29 May:

NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis Set to Return to Florida

After landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California on May 24 following the successful Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, space shuttle Atlantis is about to start its cross-country journey back to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Mounted on a modified Boeing 747 shuttle carrier aircraft, Atlantis is expected to begin its journey from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., to Kennedy as early as Sunday, May 31. The exact date and time of departure have yet to be set because of changing weather conditions and the fluid nature of preparing Atlantis for the flight.

CAPT Altman (USN, ret). CAPT Johnson (USN, ret). Dr McArthur. Dr Grunsfeld. Dr Massimino. Dr Feustel. COL Good (USAF). Maj Romanenko (Russian AF). Brig Gen De Winne (Belgian AF). Dr Thirsk. Col Padalka (Russian AF). Dr Barratt. Dr Wakata.

Ties and the Hardy boys

The past, it is said, is another country; they do things differently there.

The Secret of the Old Mill is the third book in the Hardy Boys series. Written by Leslie McFarlane* (using the Stratemeyer house name of "Franklin W Dixon"), it was originally published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1927. In 1959 they began updating the earliest volumes in the series, condensing and changing them to make them more familiar to a younger audience than the original readers.

In 1991, Applewood books began offering reprints of the original texts of the earliest Hardy Boys (and Nancy Drew) books, complete with original illustrations and flap copy. Our local library has this edition of The Secret of the Old Mill, and as I'd never read either version of it I decided to borrow it. It bears almost no resemblance to the plot summary at Wikipedia....

Typical Hardy Boys action, with Frank and Joe and their friends getting into various adventures before finally solving the mystery. But the big surprise came in chapter V, when Frank, Joe, Tony Prito, Biff Hooper, Chet Morton, Jerry Gilroy and Phil Cohen go for a walk in the country - wearing neckties! Neckties? On high-school boys? For a walk in the country? Surely you jest.

But wait - there are illustrations. The original cover (by Walter S Rogers) was included on the reprint. It shows two of the boys (still out in the countryside) in a scene from chapter VII, by the millrace; they're both wearing khaki pants and what look like plaid flannel shirts. And neckties. Rogers also did a frontispiece, which illustrates a scene from chapter XXII. The brothers have gone out in the middle of the night to break into the mill. Frank is wearing a plaid shirt again, whilst Joe has a rather nice-looking cardigan and a plain shirt. And again, they're both wearing ties.

Wow. Glad I didn't have to wear a tie all the time when I was a kid! Maybe I should check out the Nancy Drew reprints, too....


* McFarlane's autobiography, The Ghost of the Hardy Boys (now out of print, alas, but available from used-book dealers and presumably also from libraries), is recommended reading for fans of the series.

George Cross: B. J. Harrison

BARBARA JANE HARRISON

Stewardess, British Overseas Airways Corporation

Born: 24 May 1945, Bradford, Yorkshire
Died: 8 April 1968, Heathrow Airport, London

Citation: On April 8th, 1968, soon after take-off from Heathrow Airport, No. 2 engine of B.O.A.C. Boeing 707 G-ARWE caught fire and subsequently fell from the aircraft, leaving a fierce fire burning at No. 2 engine position. About two and a half minutes later the aircraft made an emergency landing at the airport and the fire on the port wing intensified. Miss Harrison was one of the stewardesses in this aircraft and the duties assigned to her in an emergency were to help the steward at the aft station to open the appropriate rear door and inflate the escape chute and then to assist the passengers at the rear of the aircraft to leave in an orderly manner. When the aircraft landed Miss Harrison and the steward concerned opened the rear galley door and inflated the chute, which unfortunately became twisted on the way down so that the steward had to climb down it to straighten it before it could be used. Once out of the aircraft he was unable to return; hence Miss Harrison was left alone to the task of shepherding passengers to the rear door and helping them out of the aircraft. She encouraged some passengers to jump from the machine and pushed out others. With flames and explosions all around her and escape from the tail of the machine impossible she directed her passengers to another exit while she remained at her post. She was finally overcome while trying to save an elderly cripple who was seated in one of the last rows and whose body was found close to that of the stewardess. Miss Harrison was a very brave young lady who gave her life in her utter devotion to duty.

[London Gazette issue 44913 dated 7 Aug 1969, published 8 Aug 1969.]


Note: One of only four women to be awarded the George Cross directly. The others - Noor Inayat Khan, Violette Szabo and Odette Sansom - were all SOE agents in France during World War II.

Victoria Cross: W. H. Metcalf

WILLIAM HENRY METCALF, MM

Lance-Corporal, 16th Battalion Manitoba Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Born: 29 January 1885, Waige, Maine, USA
Died: 8 August 1968, South Portland, Maine, USA

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and devotion to duty in attack [at Arras, France, on 2 September 1918], when, the right flank of the battalion being held up, he realised the situation and rushed forward under intense machine-gun fire to a passing Tank on the left. With his signal flag he walked in front of the Tank, directing it along the trench in a perfect hail of bullets and bombs. The machine-gun strong points were overcome, very heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy, and a very critical situation was relieved.
Later, although wounded, he continued to advance until ordered to get into a shell hole and have his wounds dressed.
His valour throughout was of the highest standard.

(London Gazette issue 31012 dated 15 Nov 1918, published 12 Nov 1918.)

Medal of Honor: G. E. Day

GEORGE E DAY

Colonel (then Major), US Air Force

Born: 24 February 1925, Sioux City, Iowa
Died: TBD

Citation: On 26 August 1967, Col. Day was forced to eject from his [North American F-100 Super Sabre] aircraft over North Vietnam when it was hit by ground fire. His right arm was broken in 3 places, and his left knee was badly sprained. He was immediately captured by hostile forces and taken to a prison camp where he was interrogated and severely tortured. After causing the guards to relax their vigilance, Col. Day escaped into the jungle and began the trek toward South Vietnam. Despite injuries inflicted by fragments of a bomb or rocket, he continued southward surviving only on a few berries and uncooked frogs. He successfully evaded enemy patrols and reached the Ben Hai River, where he encountered U.S. artillery barrages. With the aid of a bamboo log float, Col. Day swam across the river and entered the demilitarized zone. Due to delirium, he lost his sense of direction and wandered aimlessly for several days. After several unsuccessful attempts to signal U.S. aircraft, he was ambushed and recaptured by the Viet Cong, sustaining gunshot wounds to his left hand and thigh. He was returned to the prison from which he had escaped and later was moved to Hanoi after giving his captors false information to questions put before him. Physically, Col. Day was totally debilitated and unable to perform even the simplest task for himself. Despite his many injuries, he continued to offer maximum resistance. His personal bravery in the face of deadly enemy pressure was significant in saving the lives of fellow aviators who were still flying against the enemy. Col. Day's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Armed Forces.


Note: Col Day was released on 14 March 1973, after 67 months in captivity.

Victoria Cross: L. J. Keyworth

LEONARD JAMES KEYWORTH

Lance-Corporal, 24th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen's), Territorial Force

Born: 12 August 1893, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Died: 19 October 1915, Abbeville, France

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery at Givenchy on the night of 25th-26th May, 1915.
After the successful assault on the German position by the 24th Battalion, London Regiment, efforts were made by that Unit to follow up their success by a bomb-attack, during the progress of which 58 men out of a total of 75 became casualties.
During this very fierce encounter Lance-Corporal Keyworth stood fully exposed for two hours on the top of the enemy's parapet, and threw about 150 bombs amongst the Germans, who were only a few yards away.

(London Gazette Issue 29215 dated 3 Jul 1915, published 2 Jul 1915.)

Medal of Honor: J. Morris

JOHN MORRIS

Corporal, US Marine Corps; USS Lancaster

Born: 25 January 1855, New York, New York
Died: unknown

Citation: For leaping overboard from the U.S. Flagship Lancaster, at Villefranche, France, 25 December 1881, and rescuing from drowning Robert Blizzard, ordinary seaman, a prisoner, who had jumped overboard.

Victoria Cross: A. H. A. Anson

THE HON AUGUSTUS HENRY ARCHIBALD ANSON

Captain, 84th Regiment

Born: 5 March 1835, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Died: 17 December 1877, Cannes, France

Citation: For conspicuous bravery at Bolundshahur on the 28th September, 1857. The 9th Light Dragoons had charged through the town, and were reforming in the Serai; the enemy attempted to close the entrance by drawing their carts across it, so as to shut in the cavalry and form a cover from which to fire upon them. Captain Anson, taking a lance, dashed out of the gateway, and knocked the drivers off their carts. Owing to a wound in his left hand, he could not stop his horse, and rode into the middle of the enemy, who fired a volley at him, one ball passing through his coat. At Lucknow, at the assault of the Secundra Bagh, on 16th November, 1857, he entered with the storming party on the gates being burst open. He had his horse killed, and was himself slightly wounded. He has shewn the greatest gallantry on every occasion, and has slain many enemies in fight.

(London Gazette Issue 22212 dated 24 Dec 1858, published 24 Dec 1858.)

Medal of Honor: E. Ringold

EDWARD RINGOLD

Coxswain, US Navy; USS Wabash

Born: 1827, Baltimore, Maryland
Died: unknown

Citation: Served as coxswain on board the U.S.S. Wabash in the engagement at Pocataligo, [South Carolina,] 22 October 1862. Soliciting permission to accompany the howitzer corps, and performing his duty with such gallantry and presence of mind as to attract the attention of all around him, Ringold, knowing there was a scarcity of ammunition, went through the whole line of fire with his shirt slung over his shoulder filled with fixed ammunition which he had brought from 2 miles to the rear of the lines.

Atlantis to launch on 11 May

ZUI this NASA press release, dated 30 April:

NASA managers completed a review Thursday of space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight and selected an official launch date for the STS-125 mission to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. Commander Scott Altman and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 2:01 p.m. EDT, May 11, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

*******

Atlantis' 11-day mission will include five spacewalks to refurbish Hubble with state-of-the-art science instruments. After the astronauts' visit, the telescope's capabilities will be expanded and its lifetime extended through at least 2014.

*******

For more information about the STS-125 crew and its mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/

STS-125 was originally scheduled to launch last fall, but was delayed. Scott Altman will command STS-125, with Gregory C. Johnson serving as pilot. Mission specialists are veteran spacewalkers John Grunsfeld and Mike Massimino, and first-time space fliers Andrew Feustel, Michael Good and Megan McArthur.

Children's Book Week

...is next week (11-17 May). Elaine of Wild Rose Reader has plenty of links here.


H/T to Jen.

Bravo!

College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader

'Nuff said.

Recovery of WWI dead begins

As I noted earlier, the remains of British and Australian soldiers buried in First World War mass graves at Fromelles, France, are to be moved. Work has begun. See this article from the MOD Defence News:

Work has begun to recover the bodies of up to 400 British and Australian soldiers believed to have been buried at the First World War mass graves at Fromelles in northern France.

In a simple yet poignant ceremony held yesterday, Tuesday 5 May 2009, at Pheasant Wood in the small village of Fromelles, Reverend Ray Jones from St George's Memorial Church in Ypres and Fromelles' parish priest Father Duprez blessed the site of the five mass burial pits, before the turning of the first soil began.

The process of recovering the bodies will last until September 2009 and it is hoped by both the UK and Australian Governments that identification of some of the fallen will be possible. DNA will be taken from a small cross-section of remains to test for viability.

*******

The existence of the mass graves was confirmed in 2008 and a decision was made by the British and Australian Governments to conduct a full archaeological excavation of the site, with the cost of the recovery operation shared equally.

The soldiers' remains will initially be stored in temporary mortuary facilities and DNA samples will be extracted from a small cross-section to determine the viability of a larger testing programme, and the potential to match with surviving relatives.

By the end of the project in 2010 all the bodies will be permanently laid to rest in individual graves at a new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Fromelles, the first to be constructed in fifty years. Wherever it has been possible to identify the remains, named graves will be provided.

ZUI also this article, dated 21 April:

Members of the public who believe they may be related to British soldiers buried at the First World War mass graves at Fromelles in northern France are being urged to check a list of names on a new website.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has launched the new website to help identify the bodies of the soldiers who died in one of the most tragic battles of the First World War.

*******

Members of the public who believe they may be related to British soldiers buried at Fromelles can check the list of names at http://www.cwgc.org/fromelles/ or contact Historic Casualty Casework, Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, Imjin Barracks, Gloucester GL3 1HW. Tel: 01452 712612 Extensions 6303 or 7330, or email SPVA-JCCC-fromelles-GroupMailbox@spva.mod.uk

The Battle of Fromelles began on 19 July 1916 and was the first major battle on the Western Front involving Australian troops.

Within a twenty-four hour period the 5th Australian Division had suffered 5,533 casualties, of which 1,780 were killed, and the 61st British Division suffered losses of 1,547 men killed, wounded or taken prisoner.

*******

The full list of names of those servicemen who may be among those buried at Fromelles is available from the Commission press office.

The Australian Army has developed a working list of the First Australian Imperial Forces soldiers it believes may be buried at the site and is encouraging relatives to register their details. Further information is available at http://www.defence.gov.au/fromelles/

A contest - if you're quick!

A S King, author of the YA pirate/fantasy novel The Dust of 100 Dogs, is running a contest. The winner gets a signed copy of the book, along with a VOG (very odd gift). One other person will also receive a signed copy and a VOG, and a third will receive a VOG Care Package.

Only one catch - the deadline is 2359 EDT today (Monday 4 May).

The rules, copied from her blog so you don't have to waste time looking them up:

Challenge: Write a story (beginning, middle & end) that is 100 words or less.

Rule #1 = The story must begin with this line: "Janet didn't like him."

Rule #2 = The story must end with this line: "As the creature lifted into the dark sky, she could see it dangling from his talons."

To enter, leave your story and an email address as a comment on her announcement of the contest.

Victoria Cross: C. Anderson and T. Monaghan

CHARLES ANDERSON

Private, 2nd Dragoon Guards

Born: 1826, Liverpool
Died: 19 April 1899, Seaham Harbour, County Durham

THOMAS MONAGHAN

Trumpeter, 2nd Dragoon Guards

Born: 18 October 1833, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
Died: 10 November 1895, Woolwich, London

Joint citation: For saving the life of Lieutenant-Colonel Seymour, C.B., commanding the regiment, in an attack made on him on the 8th of October, 1858, by mutinous sepoys, in a dense jungle of sugar canes, from which an attempt was made to dislodge them. The mutineers were between 30 and 40 in number. They suddenly opened fire on Lieutenant-Colonel Seymour and his party at a few yards distance, and immediately afterwards rushed in upon them with drawn (native) swords. Pistolling a man, cutting at him, and emptying with deadly effect at arm's length every barrel of his revolver, Lieutenant-Colonel Seymour was cut down by two sword cuts, when the two men above recommended, rushed to his rescue, and the Trumpeter shooting a man with his pistol in the act of cutting at him, and both Trumpeter and Dragoon driving at the enemy with their swords, enabled him to arise, and assist in defending himself again, when the whole of the enemy were dispatched.
The occurrence took place soon after the action fought near Sundeela, Oudh, on the date above-mentioned.

(London Gazette issue 22680 dated 11 Nov 1862, published 11 Nov 1862.)

Medal of Honor: M. L. Brown

MELVIN L BROWN

Private First Class, US Army; Company D, 8th Engineer Combat Battalion

Born: 1931, Mahaffey, Pennsylvania
Died: 4 September 1950, near Kasan, Korea

Citation: Pfc. Brown, Company D distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. While his platoon was securing Hill 755 (the Walled City), [near Kasan, Korea, on 4 September 1950] the enemy, using heavy automatic weapons and small arms, counterattacked. Taking a position on a 50-foot-high wall he delivered heavy rifle fire on the enemy. His ammunition was soon expended and although wounded, he remained at his post and threw his few grenades into the attackers causing many casualties. When his supply of grenades was exhausted his comrades from nearby foxholes tossed others to him and he left his position, braving a hail of fire, to retrieve and throw them at the enemy. The attackers continued to assault his position and Pfc. Brown weaponless, drew his entrenching tool from his pack and calmly waited until they 1 by 1 peered over the wall, delivering each a crushing blow upon the head. Knocking 10 or 12 enemy from the wall, his daring action so inspired his platoon that they repelled the attack and held their position. Pfc. Brown's extraordinary heroism, gallantry, and intrepidity reflect the highest credit upon himself and was in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service. Reportedly missing in action and officially killed in action, September 5, 1950.

Canadian Public Service Announcement

The Taliban consider it a sin for a man to see a naked woman who is not his wife. So, next Sunday at 2:00 PM Eastern time, all Canadian women are asked to walk out of their house, completely naked, to help weed out any neighborhood terrorists.... Circling your block for one hour is recommended for this anti-terrorist effort. All men are to position themselves in lawn chairs in front of their house to prove they are not Taliban, demonstrating that they think it’s okay to see nude women, other than their wives, and to show support for all Canadian women. And, since the Taliban also does not approve of alcohol, a cold six-pack at your side is further proof of your anti-Taliban sentiment. The Canadian Government appreciates your efforts to root out terrorists and applauds your participation in this Anti-Terrorist activity.

God Bless Canada!


H/T to Kyla.

Book list - Apr 09

The Wonga Coup - African history, by Adam Roberts
The Dogs of War - thriller, by Frederick Forsyth *
Tulku - YA historical fiction, by Peter Dickinson (Carnegie Medal, 1979)
Dragon Mage - fantasy, by Andre Norton and Jean Rabe
River Boy - YA, by Tim Bowler (Carnegie Medal, 1997)
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929-1964 - SF (short stories), edited by Robert Silverberg
Blackbringer - YA fantasy, by Laini Taylor
Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat - children's, by Lynne Jonell
Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women - children's biography, by Cornelia Meigs (Newbery Medal, 1934)


Only nine books this month (one being a reread) - got held up by reading a couple of books with 400+ pages. To reach my goal of 209 books this year, I'll have to average 17.417 per month, so I'm currently (50) over a month behind track (69). No fear....

The one Newbery Medal winner bring my total thus far up to 76 of 88, and the two Carnegie Medal winners bring me up to 16 of 69.

Carnegie and Greenaway short lists announced

CILIP - the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals - have released the short lists for this year's Carnegie Medal and Kate Greenaway Medal.

The Andrew Carnegie Medal, named for the Scottish philanthropist, has been awarded annually since 1937 to the writer of "an outstanding book for children." In addition to the gold medal, the winner receives £500 worth of books to donate to a library of his/her choice.

This year's short list consists of:

Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce* (here)
Black Rabbit Summer, by Kevin Brooks (here)
Airman, by Eoin Colfer (here)
Bog Child, by Siobhan Dowd (here)
Ostrich Boys, by Keith Gray (here)
The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness (here)
Creature of the Night, by Kate Thompson (here)

The Kate Greenaway Medal, named for the nineteenth-century artist, has been awarded annually since 1957 to the illustrator of "an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people." As with the Carnegie Medal, the winner receives a golden medal and £500 worth of books to donate to a library of his/her choice; since 2000, the winner has also been awarded the £5000 Colin Mears Award.

This year's short list consists of:

The Snow Goose, written by Paul Gallico and illustrated by Angela Barrett (here)
Varmints, written by Helen Ward and illustrated by Marc Craste (here)
Little Boat, written and illustrated by Thomas Docherty (here)
How to Heal a Broken Wing, written and illustrated by Bob Graham (here)
The Way Back Home, written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (here)
The Savage, written by David Almond and illustrated by Dave McKean (here)
Harris Finds His Feet, written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner (here)
Molly and the Night Monster, written and illustrated by Chris Wormell (here)

(Amazon links provided for reference. Most, if not all, are probably also available from Amazon US. Supporting independent booksellers, as always, is recommended.)

The winners will be announced on 25 June.


* Boyce was the winner of the 2004 Carnegie Medal, for his novel Millions.

RIP: Robley Rex

ZUI this article from the Louisville (Kentucky) Courier-Journal:

Robley Henry Rex, a World War I-era Army veteran renowned and beloved for his volunteer service to other veterans, died yesterday at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Louisville just four days short of his 108th birthday.

Rex was born May 2, 1901, in Hopkinsville, Ky. He credited his longevity to his wife of 69 years, the former Gracie Bivins, who died in 1992 at 91.

"I married the right woman," Rex always said. He called her "the smartest woman in the world."

The two met at Camp Taylor in Louisville in 1919 before he was sent overseas with the Army. They married in 1922 when he returned to the United States.

*******

Mary Jane Crowder, director of volunteer services at the VA center on Zorn Avenue, said Rex "was very much a role model to veterans, and we hear that over and over."

Rex was well-known to staff and patients at the center, where he was still volunteering three days a week when he was 105. He had logged more than 14,000 volunteer hours at the hospital since 1986, delivering charts and records along with the mail. He often chatted with patients or, being an ordained Methodist minister, shared a prayer with them.

*******

Rex never saw combat, having enlisted after the armistice was signed. He was assigned to a military intelligence unit at the 3rd Army Headquarters in Germany -- an 18-year-old, 115-pound Army private.

"I did what they told me," he once said.

He was quoted as saying that when he landed in France, commanders asked if anyone could handle a typewriter. "God lifted my hand. … I went in to keep a chair warm."

He boxed as an Army flyweight in Europe against other U.S. soldiers and was given the name "Kid Rex." He said he lost more fights than he won.

Once back home and married, Rex farmed for 23 years in Daviess County, growing tobacco, corn and hay. He and his wife later moved to Louisville, where he retired as a railway postal clerk.

A WWI-era veteran is one who enlisted after the Armistice was signed on 11 Nov 1918, but before the Treaty of Versailles (signed on 28 Jun 1919), which actually ended World War I, became effective on 10 Jan 1920.

There are now six verified WWI veterans (those who served before the Armistice) still living - three British, and one each Australian, Canadian and US - as well as one unverified WWI veteran (British) and two WWI-era vets (one Brazilian and one Polish).

Victoria Cross: W. D. Wright

WALLACE DUFFIELD WRIGHT

Lieutenant, 1st Battalion The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment

Born: 20 September 1875, Gibraltar
Died: 25 Mar 1953, Cobham, Surrey

Citation: On 24th March, 1903 [in northern Nigeria], Lieutenant Wright with only one officer and forty-four men took up a position in the path of the advancing enemy, and sustained the determined charges of 1,000 horse and 2,000 foot for two hours, and when the enemy, after heavy losses, fell back in good order, Lieutenant Wright continued to follow them till they were in full retreat. The personal example of this officer, as well as his skilful leadership, contributed largely to the brilliant success of this affair. He in no way infringed his orders by his daring initiative, as, though warned of the possibility of meeting large bodies of the enemy, he had purposely been left a free hand.


Note: Later Brigadier General Wallace Duffield Wright VC CB CMG DSO.

Medal of Honor: H. S. Carswell, Jr.

HORACE SEAVER CARSWELL JR

Major, US Army Air Corps; 308th Bombardment Group

Born: July 1916, Fort Worth, Texas
Died: 26 October 1944, China

Citation: He piloted a B-24 bomber in a one-plane strike against a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea on the night of 26 October 1944. Taking the enemy force of 12 ships escorted by at least 2 destroyers by surprise, he made 1 bombing run at 600 feet, scoring a near miss on 1 warship and escaping without drawing fire. He circled. and fully realizing that the convoy was thoroughly alerted and would meet his next attack with a barrage of antiaircraft fire, began a second low-level run which culminated in 2 direct hits on a large tanker. A hail of steel from Japanese guns, riddled the bomber, knocking out 2 engines, damaging a third, crippling the hydraulic system, puncturing 1 gasoline tank, ripping uncounted holes in the aircraft, and wounding the copilot; but by magnificent display of flying skill, Maj. Carswell controlled the plane's plunge toward the sea and carefully forced it into a halting climb in the direction of the China shore. On reaching land, where it would have been possible to abandon the staggering bomber, one of the crew discovered that his parachute had been ripped by flak and rendered useless; the pilot, hoping to cross mountainous terrain and reach a base. continued onward until the third engine failed. He ordered the crew to bail out while he struggled to maintain altitude. and, refusing to save himself, chose to remain with his comrade and attempt a crash landing. He died when the airplane struck a mountainside and burned. With consummate gallantry and intrepidity, Maj. Carswell gave his life in a supreme effort to save all members of his crew. His sacrifice. far beyond that required of him, was in keeping with the traditional bravery of America's war heroes.


Note: Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, was named in his honour.

Coming books

There are four books I'm really looking forward to reading this year.

Any Which Wall, by Laurel Snyder, is about four children (Susan, Henry, Roy and Emma) who find a mysterious wall in the middle of a cornfield.

To their delight, it turns out to be wishing wall, complete with a key, capable of whisking them away to fascinating times and places. It’s not all fun and games, though, at least not at first. The kids have to puzzle out how the magic works and then contend with some mysterious visions granted to them by none other than the famous Merlin. The visions, along with the particular wishes each child makes, unfold into a unique life lesson for each of the children. (Kirkus)

(Other reviews can be found here and here.)

Snyder describes the book as a tribute to Edward Eager, one of my favourite authors; she also, as I recall, cites E Nesbit (another favourite) as an influence. I've read one other book by her, Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains, and enjoyed it very much. According to Amazon Any Which Wall is coming out on 26 May.

Operation YES, by Sara Lewis Holmes, is about a sixth-grade class (at an Air Force school) who band together when their teacher receives bad news. I can't find any on-line reviews by any of the usual suspects; the closest I came was this piece in which Holmes's editor explains how she wrote the flap copy for the book - but don't read that if you don't want to see a big spoiler. Amazon lists the book as due out on 1 September.



Alexandria, by Lindsey Davis, is the 19th book in the Marcus Didius Falco series, which began in 1989 with The Silver Pigs. Falco, last seen in Saturnalia (2007), is a private informer (ie, private investigator) in first-century Rome, who in addition to his normal, run-of-the-mill cases also receives frequent top-secret assignments from the Emperor Vespasian or his son Titus. Davis's sense of humour is marvellous, making these books more than just mysteries. (They're also well-researched, and therefore vaguely educational as well.) The book is actually already available (from Amazon, amongst others), but I'm still waiting for our public library to get its copy.

Fat Cat, by Robin Brande, is about "[a]n overweight high school science genius decides to improve her life, defeat the guy who broke her heart, and win the science fair at the same time by undergoing a radical experiment."* Brande's first book, Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature, was the best book I read in 2007, so I have high hopes for this book as well. Amazon says to expect it on 13 October.

IndieBound also lists Any Which Wall, Operation YES and Fat Cat.

Update 1123 28 Apr: Make that five books.

Over the weekend I read Blackbringer, an incredible YA fantasy novel by Laini Taylor (reviews here and here). The sequel, Silksinger, is coming out this fall. Taylor has a description, with advance comments, on her site. Amazon says 17 September.


* Description shamelessly lifted from Brande's own site.

Talk Like Shakespeare Day

In sooth! Rest thine eyes upon this article from CNN News:

Hast thou been patterning thy parlance to evoke the vernacular of William Shakespeare?

Well, get thee to an Internet machine hastily, sirrah or mistress, for thou hast but two days from Tuesday to unleash thy inner bard.

Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago, Illinois, has declared Thursday [23 April] as "Talk Like Shakespeare Day" to celebrate the 445th birthday of the man many consider the greatest playwright in the English language.

While the bard's actual birth date is not known for sure, many scholars think it was April 23, 1564.

In a proclamation issued last week, Daley encouraged city residents to "screw their courage to the sticking place and celebrate Shakespeare by vocal acclamation of his words."

(This idea may be the best thing that has ever come from a man named Mayor Daley.)

H/T to Sara Lewis Holmes.

USS Stockdale (DDG 106) commissioned

ZUI this article from the San Diego (CA) Union-Tribune:

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest guided-missile destroyer Saturday in a ceremony honoring Coronado's own Vice Adm. James Stockdale, the ship's namesake.

Four thousand folding chairs stood on the dock at the Naval Base Ventura County near Oxnard, in front of a gray behemoth there to be christened the USS Stockdale, in remembrance of one of the Navy's most highly decorated officers.

Most of those seats were filled before the hour-long ceremony began under a bright, cloudless sky at 11 a.m. Attendees reserved their loudest applause for the dozens of veterans and prisoners of war on hand, a group that included four Medal of Honor recipients.

*******

One of Stockdale's granddaughters drew cheers when she uttered the ceremonial words: “Officers and crew of the USS Stockdale, man our ship and bring her to life.”

With that, a parade of white-uniformed sailors sprinted single-file onboard the destroyer, which will soon head back to San Diego, where it arrived in late March after being built in Maine. Within moments, the sailors were all positioned at points on the ship, hands clasped behind their backs.

Smoke erupted from the ship and four planes zoomed overhead as a horn blew. The ceremony concluded with a private tour of the ship for the veterans and prisoners of war who attended with wives and guests.

*******

Stockdale died at age 81 at home in Coronado in 2005, surrounded by his wife, Sybil, and four grown sons. A fighter pilot who flew 201 carrier-based missions, he was the highest-ranking naval officer captured during the Vietnam War, spending 7½ grueling years in captivity after being shot down.

Stockdale received the Medal of Honor in 1976. His 26 combat decorations include two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts and four Silver Stars.

USS Stockdale (DDG 106) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, and is the third Navy ship to bear that name. (The first USS Stockdale was a side-wheel steamer which served in the Civil War; the second, DE 399, was named in honour of Ensign Lewis S Stockdale, who died at Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941.)

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

JAMES BOND STOCKDALE

Rear Admiral (then Captain), US Navy; prisoner of war, North Vietnam

Born: 23 December 1923, Abingdon, Illinois
Died: 5 July 2005, Coronado, California

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while senior naval officer in the Prisoner of War camps of North Vietnam. Recognized by his captors as the leader in the Prisoners' of War resistance to interrogation and in their refusal to participate in propaganda exploitation, Rear Adm. Stockdale was singled out for interrogation and attendant torture after he was detected in a covert communications attempt. Sensing the start of another purge, and aware that his earlier efforts at self-disfiguration to dissuade his captors from exploiting him for propaganda purposes had resulted in cruel and agonizing punishment, Rear Adm. Stockdale resolved to make himself a symbol of resistance regardless of personal sacrifice. He deliberately inflicted a near-mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all of the Prisoners of War. By his heroic action, at great peril to himself, he earned the everlasting gratitude of his fellow prisoners and of his country. Rear Adm. Stockdale's valiant leadership and extraordinary courage in a hostile environment sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Victoria Cross: E. J. B. Nicolson

ERIC JAMES BRINDLEY NICOLSON

Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force; 249 Squadron

Born: 29 April 1917, Hampstead, London
Died: 2 May 1945, Bay of Bengal, off Calcutta, India

Citation: During an engagement with the enemy near Southampton on 16th August, 1940, Flight Lieutenant Nicolson's aircraft was hit by four cannon shells, two of which wounded him whilst another set fire to the gravity tank. When about to abandon his aircraft owing to flames in the cockpit he sighted an enemy fighter. This he attacked and shot down, although as a result of staying in his burning aircraft he sustained serious burns to his hands, face, neck and legs.
Flight Lieutenant Nicolson has always displayed great enthusiasm for air fighting and this incident shows that he possesses courage and determination of a high order. By continuing to engage the enemy after he had been wounded and his aircraft set on fire, he displayed exceptional gallantry and disregard for the safety of his own life.

(London Gazette Issue 34993 dated 15 Nov 1940, published 15 Nov 1940.)


Note: Flt Lt Nicolson was the only fighter pilot to be awarded the Victoria Cross during World War II. (Wg Cdr G P Gibson VC scored four kills as a night-fighter pilot, flying Beaufighters, but he received his Victoria Cross as leader of the bombing raids on the Eder and Moehne dams.) He was killed when the plane in which he was flying as an observer ditched due to engine failure two hours after takeoff for a raid on Rangoon.

Medal of Honor: W. C. Neville

WENDELL CUSHING NEVILLE

Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps; commanding 2nd Marine Regiment

Born: 12 May 1870, Portsmouth, Virginia
Died: 8 July 1930, Edgewater, Florida

Citation: For distinguished conduct in battle engagements of Vera Cruz [Mexico] 21 and 22 April 1914. In command of the 2d Regiment Marines, Lt. Col. Neville was in both days' fighting and almost continually under fire from soon after landing, about noon on the 21st, until we were in possession of the city, about noon of the 22d. His duties required him to be at points of great danger in directing his officers and men, and he exhibited conspicuous courage, coolness, and skill in his conduct of the fighting. Upon his courage and skill depended, in great measure, success or failure. His responsibilities were great and he met them in a manner worthy of commendation.


Note: USS Neville (APA 9) was named in his honour.

RIP: Netherwood Hughes

Netherwood Hughes
12 Jun 1900 - 4 Apr 2009

ZUI this article from the Accrington (Lancashire) Observer:

Netherwood Hughes, known as Ned, was one of three surviving First World War veterans until his death, but the family have said they do not want a military funeral.

The centenarian was born and bred in Great Harwood, where he lived all of his life until moving into residential care at Northlands in Great Harwood at the age of 98. Around six years ago he moved to Woodlands Home for the Elderly, Clayton-le-Moors, where he died last Saturday. He would have been 109 on 12 June.

Ned was the middle of seven children and outlived most of his family, including two wives Annie and May. He never had any children.

*******

Last year the Observer exclusively revealed that Ned was one of the last surviving First World War veterans, after being called up in 1918.

*******

Although he never met Ned, Britain’s longest living man and fellow veteran, Henry Allingham, 112, also said goodbye.

"Why him and not me? I’m always ready to go. It never gets any easier."

Ned leaves niece Ann and her husband Donald, sister-in-law Edith Hughes, he was the uncle of the late Clive Haworth and his wife Madge, and also uncle to the late Harry Haworth, nieces and nephews and extended family.

ZUI also this article, dated 20 Nov 08, from The Telegraph:

Netherwood Hughes - known as Ned - recalls being conscripted into the 51st Battalion of the Manchester Regiment and training as an infantryman less than six months before the war ended.

His wartime service has never been given public recognition because of missing documents and a reluctance by his family to expose him to the limelight because of his age.

But when he showed a photograph of himself in uniform to a local newspaper reporter in his hometown of Accrington as part of an article about his 108th birthday earlier this year, details were soon picked up by First World War enthusiasts and circulated on the internet.

*******

Mr Hughes, who lives in a nursing home, remembers being called up after his 18th birthday in June 1918.

He would then have been on course to be deployed to the front lines in France or Belgium but the war ended in November and he quickly returned to civilian life as a driver in a mill, a rare skill much in demand at the time.

Any documentary record of his service has since been lost preventing him being given official recognition by the Ministry of Defence alongside the three other surviving British veterans: Henry Allingham, 112, Harry Patch, 110, and William Stone, 108.

He has been quietly recognised by the World War One Veteran's Association, although the organisation chose not to publicise the fact because of a request from Mr Hughes's family.

According to this article from Wikipedia, Hughes was the second WWI veteran to die this year, the other being William Stone, also from England. Wikipedia lists six remaining veterans of World War I: three British, and one each from Australia, Canada and the United States. The last German, Turkish, Austro-Hungarian, Italian and French veterans all died last year.

Victoria Cross: A. Martin-Leake

ARTHUR MARTIN-LEAKE

Surgeon-Captain, South African Constabulary
(later Lieutenant, Royal Army Medical Corps; attached 5th Field Ambulance)

Born: 4 April 1874, Standen, Ware, Hertfordshire
Died: 22 June 1953, High Cross, Hertfordshire

Citation: During the action at Vlakfontein [South Africa], on the 8th February, 1902, Surgeon-Captain Martin-Leake went up to a wounded man, and attended to him under a heavy fire from about 40 Boers at 100 yards range. He then went out to the assistance of a wounded Officer, and, whilst trying to place him in a comfortable position, was shot three times, but would not give in till he rolled over thoroughly exhausted. All the eight men at this point were wounded, and while they were lying on the Veldt, Surgeon-Captain Martin-Leake refused water till every one else had been served.

(London Gazette Issue 27433 dated 13 May 1902, published 13 May 1902.)



Citation: Lieutenant Arthur Martin Leake, Royal Army Medical Corps, who was awarded the Victoria Cross on 13th May, 1902, is granted a Clasp for conspicuous bravery in the present campaign:–
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty throughout the campaign, especially during the period 29th October to 8th November, 1914, near Zonnebeke [Belgium], in rescuing, whilst exposed to constant fire, a large number of wounded who were lying close to the enemy's trenches.

(London Gazette Issue 29074 dated 18 Feb 1915, published 16 Feb 1915.)


Note: One of only three men to have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice.
Some sources also list High Cross as his birthplace, rather than Standen.

Medal of Honor: E. V. M. Izac

EDOUARD VICTOR MICHEL IZAC

Lieutenant, US Navy; USS President Lincoln

Born: 18 December 1891, Cresco, Iowa
Died: 18 January 1990, Fairfax, Virginia

Citation: When the U.S.S. President Lincoln was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U-90, on 21 May 1918, Lt. Izac was captured and held as a prisoner on board the U-90 until the return of the submarine to Germany, when he was confined in the prison camp. During his stay on the U-90 he obtained information of the movements of German submarines which was so important that he determined to escape, with a view to making this information available to the U.S. and Allied Naval authorities. In attempting to carry out this plan, he jumped through the window of a rapidly moving train at the imminent risk of death, not only from the nature of the act itself but from the fire of the armed German soldiers who were guarding him. Having been recaptured and reconfined, Lt. Izac made a second and successful attempt to escape, breaking his way through barbed-wire fences and deliberately drawing the fire of the armed guards in the hope of permitting others to escape during the confusion. He made his way through the mountains of southwestern Germany, having only raw vegetables for food, and at the end, swam the River Rhine during the night in the immediate vicinity of German sentries.