Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC has had his latest “hero of the month” article published in Britain at War, the country’s best-selling military history monthly magazine.
The September issue of the magazine has a two-page write-up on the life and bravery of Private George Imlach McIntosh, who was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for outstanding bravery during the Great War.
McIntosh, the son of a fisherman from Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, was working in a sawmill at the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914. Despite being only seventeen, he was quickly mobilised and he went to France in November 1914 and into the line the following month.
McIntosh, who served with the Gordon Highlanders, was awarded the VC for his bravery north of St Julien, Belgium, on July 31 1917. Under heavy machine-gun fire, he rushed forward and threw a Mill’s grenade that killed two enemy soldiers and injured a third. He also returned with two enemy light machine guns.
His VC was announced in The London Gazette on September 6 1917 and he received his award from George V at an investiture at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, 12 days later. He survived the war and eventually died in 1960, aged 63.
Lord Ashcroft’s articles for Britain at War over the past five years have been largely based on excerpts from his six books on gallantry: Victoria Cross Heroes, Special Forces Heroes, George Cross Heroes, Heroes of the Skies, Special Ops Heroes and Victoria Cross Heroes Volume II.
For the foreseeable future, Lord Ashcroft’s “hero of the month” articles will concentrate on men who were awarded the VC during the First World War. Lord Ashcroft is a military historian who has lectured extensively on courage and his various medal collections.
Lord Ashcroft’s latest article appears in the September issue of Britain at War which is on sale now.
