Introduction

What is a hero? We have all seen members of our Armed forces wearing medals, but have we ever considered how those medals were won, what actions that person took part in and what horrors they faced?

Review

This hard back book published by Pen and Sword Military is just one of the series Victoria Crosses on the Western Front written by Paul Oldfield. This particular book is priced at £40.00, and contains 775 pages of good quality paper, with many maps and photographs throughout. The paper dust cover shows colour pictures of some of the men who were awarded the Victoria Cross, plus a picture of a Victoria Cross.

The list of Contents is as follows:
Master Maps
Abbreviations
Introduction

Chapter 1: First Battles of the Somme 1918 - Subsequent Operations
Chapter 2: Battles of the Lys
Chapter 3: Stemming the Tide
Chapter 4: Return to the Offensive

Biographies
Sources
Useful Information
Index

In this series of books the author has endeavoured to find the stories of all those brave men who fought in the First World War and were awarded the Victoria Cross. Through meticulous research the author has pieced together a comprehensive biography of each man which covers every aspect of their lives, warts and all. This book gives the battleground visitor or armchair reader an over view of the action within the wider tactical and strategic context.

Conclusion

This book endeavours to give the back story to each and every one of the Victoria Cross winners won their accolade. This is book seven of the history of Victoria Cross winners during the First World War. Paul Oldfield through writing these books keeps alive the stories of those brave men who took part in a war that saw human beings developing bigger and better ways of killing each other. These stories of courage and bravery should never be lost.