Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC has had his latest article published in his bravery series for Britain at War, the country’s best-selling military history monthly magazine.
The theme of the series is Lord Ashcroft’s “hero of the month” and the March edition of the magazine has a four-page write-up on the life and courage of Brigadier General Charles FitzClarence VC.
FitzClarence was awarded the VC for repeated bravery during the Second Boer War of 1899-1902. As a captain, he displayed exception gallantry on three separate occasions during the Siege of Mafeking.
Despite being nearly 50 years old, FitzClarence served again during the First World War. He died while leading his men from the front in Belgium on 12 November 1914, when he was hit by a burst of enemy machine-gun fire.
Lord Ashcroft is a military historian who had written four books on bravery over the past eight years. He has also lectured extensively on courage and his various medal collections.
His articles for the magazine are largely based on excerpts from Lord Ashcroft’s four books on gallantry: Victoria Cross Heroes, Special Forces Heroes, George Cross Heroes and Heroes of the Skies.
Furthermore, the vast majority of the write-ups are based on gallantry medals owned by Lord Ashcroft. As well as his unrivalled 183-strong VC collection, he has a major Special Forces’ medals’ collection and a substantial collection of decorations awarded for gallantry in the air.
In 2010, Lord Ashcroft also started collecting George Crosses (GCs) for the first time and currently possesses 14 such awards.
Lord Ashcroft’s article appears in the March 2014 issue of Britain at War, which is on sale now.
