The Most Decorated War Hero in the History of The British Empire

Discussion in 'General' started by 17thDYRCH, Sep 22, 2011.

  1. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    IIRC there were men who won the VC twice during the Great war, but none during WW2. I cannot remember which book that spoke of it, but I think it was in connection with a piece on Lorne Campbell.


    there was only 1 person who won the VC on 2 occasions during the great war & that was Captain Noel Chavase RAMC. The other candidate you were probably thinking of was Captain Arthur Martin - Leake RAMC however his 1st VC was won during the Boer War.

    Upham is the only double VC to a fighting unit & incidentally is related to Chavase.

    But for my mind getting back to the topic.....

    Bernard, Lord Freyburg VC ,DSO*** then you have the other stuff...GCMG, KCB, KBE.

    A VC + 4 DSO's beats most things I would think


    REgards

    simon
     
  2. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    For ww2 I would throw these two into the mix, Tommy Macpherson had joined up while he was still an Edinburgh schoolboy, and by the age of 21 he knew more about killing and wrecking and wreaking havoc than most men would ever know. By the end of the war he had become the most decorated soldier of all time. Only 25 men have ever been awarded the MC three times and Tommy is the only one left alive. Only one man has ever been awarded three MCs, three Croix de Guerre and the Legion D'Honneur, and Tommy is that man. Even the Pope knew what a warrior Tommy was, which is why he personally awarded him the Star of Bethlehem and a Papal knighthood. Interview Tommy Macpherson, Britain's most decorated former soldier - Scotland on Sunday Alastair Pearson was one of the longest serving wartime members of the Parachute Regiment and was certainly amongst the most highly regarded and decorated officers that it has ever produced. His service in North Africa and Sicily, in 1943, and Normandy, in 1944, resulted in him being awarded the Military Cross and no fewer than four Distinguished Service Orders, a remarkable achievement for any soldier. Perhaps the most pertinent tribute to his abilities as a leader of men was paid by the current Colonel-in-Chief of the Parachute Regiment, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, who described him as "one of the greatest leaders of the Second World War... I doubt if any soldier has made a greater contribution to the Parachute Regiment than Alastair Pearson. His exploits are legendary as must be indicated by the many decorations awarded to him in the field for outstanding leadership and conspicuous gallantry .Lieutenant-Colonel Alastair Pearson
     
  3. Jaeger

    Jaeger Senior Member

    I stand corrected chaps.
     
  4. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    I was looking over the Wikipedia pages on Capts. Noel Chavasse and Charles Upham. No need to say I am deeply impressed. My question: what is the meaning of the crosses with a poppy in Chavasse's grave, if you please?
     
  5. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    I was looking over the Wikipedia pages on Capts. Noel Chavasse and Charles Upham. No need to say I am deeply impressed. My question: what is the meaning of the crosses with a poppy in Chavasse's grave, if you please?

    Good question!! I saw many of the same crosses in the Normandy cemetaries.
     
  6. Son of POW-Escaper

    Son of POW-Escaper Senior Member

    I believe that the crosses have been left on the grave by visitors wishing to show their respects.

    That simple.

    Marc
     
  7. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

  8. gunbunnyB/3/75FA

    gunbunnyB/3/75FA Senior Member

    to be honest, i wouldn't have a clue,but i know audie murphy was loaded down with a bunch of gongs
     
  9. L J

    L J Senior Member

    Martin-Leake and Chavasse were both surgeons,and, as such, they deserve the highest appreciation .
     
  10. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    to be honest, i wouldn't have a clue,but i know audie murphy was loaded down with a bunch of gongs

    He surly was. What a fighter.

    Audie Murphy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    I love this picture of him showing it isn't the size of the dog in the fight:
     

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  11. Son of POW-Escaper

    Son of POW-Escaper Senior Member

    He surly was. What a fighter.

    Audie Murphy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    I love this picture of him showing it isn't the size of the dog in the fight:


    True, and he certainly deserves a great deal of respect, but the USA was not part of the British Empire (at least not during WW2!).
     
  12. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

  13. raynera

    raynera Junior Member

    What about Paddy Mayne? 4 DSO's, Légion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre avec palme. His 4th DSO was a downgrade from the VC due to inexplicable circumstances.
     
  14. DoctorD

    DoctorD WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Leonard Cheshire VC OM DSOx3 DFC Isn't a bad rack!
     
  15. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    How we define 'decorations' will have a bearing. On some AF forms there was a distinction, and information was asked thus;

    1. List awards and honours
    2. List any Decorations -gallantry etc,
    3. List Campaign or GSMs.

    Awards Honours and decorations, the holder would for instance be published on battalion or other orders as for honours or awards -Guardsman Bloggs BEM (etc) or for decorated - Guardsman Bloggs MM. (etc).

    Perhaps one of the medal experts would define the official rulings.
     
  16. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    I have heard Leif Larsen ("Shetlands-Larsen") DSO, DSC, CGM, DSM and bar, repeatedly being referred to as the most highly decorated naval officer in WW2.
     
  17. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    Leonard Cheshire VC OM DSOx3 DFC Isn't a bad rack!


    Doctor D,

    Just a point of clarification, I do not believe that Cheshire got a 3rd bar to his DSO ( not that it takes anything away from his gallantry).

    Below, I attach his LG entries with citations (where applicable) for members viewing:

    Viewing Page 6937 of Issue 35009
    Viewing Page 1370 of Issue 35097
    Viewing Page 1798 of Issue 35983
    Viewing Page 1779 of Issue 36475
    Search Results

    OM (Order of Merit) is an Order (not a decoration for Gallantry) within the monarchs perogative & was awarded to him for his charity work by the queen, it is limited to 24 full members at anyone time.

    ATB

    Simon
     
  18. ethan

    ethan Member

    The three guys who got the VC twice < anyone else.
     
  19. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

  20. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    From Illustrated London News, 6 October 1945
    Screen Shot 2017-07-14 at 17.12.56.png
     

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