In this three part series we look at the eight recipients of the Victoria Cross who forfeited the award due to their later actions, as well as other recipients who fell on hard times, and with particular reference to the case of modern Victoria Cross for Australian recipient Ben-Roberts Smith, accused of murder and war crimes in Afghanistan.

“During the Crimean War (March 1854-February 1856), the movement to recognise the valour of the ordinary fighting man of the various branches of the British armed forces gained immense momentum. The Crimean War was the first conflict where newspaper reporters were with the troops (today we’d use the term ‘embedded’) and who wrote back to their publications with details of the heroism of the men of the rank and file. The writings of TheTimes reporter William Howard Russell, often considered one of the first war correspondents, especially promoted the case for recognising the bravery of the common soldier. Russell spent 22 months covering the events of the Crimean War. His reports and others led to discussion of an award for valour open to men of any rank, and, in late January 1856 the Royal Warrant for the Victoria Cross was introduced.”

This episode was written by Murray Dahm.

Murray is an ancient and medieval military historian from New Zealand, living in Australia. He has written more than 100 articles on various aspects of ancient and medieval military history and other historical topics from all periods. He is the author of Macedonian Phalangite vs Persian Warrior, Athenian Hoplite vs Spartan Hoplite and Leuctra 371 BC, all from Osprey Publishing. He is a regular on the Ancient Warfare Podcast.