Britain at War

By Lord Ashcroft

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 February issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Wing Commander Hugh Malcolm, who was decorated with the Victoria Cross (VC) for outstanding bravery in the skies during the Second World War.

Born in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Malcolm was commissioned into the RAF in December 1937. In May 1939, shortly before the outbreak of war, he was so badly injured in a crash during a practice flight that he was told he would never fly again. (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

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 January issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Staff Sergeant William Cosgrove, who was decorated with the Victoria Cross (VC) for quite outstanding gallantry – not to mention incredible strength – during the Gallipoli landings of the Great War. (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

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 December issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Subadar (equivalent to captain) Khudadad Khan, who was both the first Muslim and the first Indian to receive the VC. (more…)

By lordashcroft.com

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 November issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Company Sergeant Major Edward Thomas Chapman, who was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for bravery during the Second World War. (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

First published in Britain at War in October 2019.

Major Michael Patrick “Bronco” Lane MM, BEM

It was General Sir Michael Rose, the former commanding officer of the SAS, who perfectly summed up one of the greatest careers of all time in what its members affectionately call “the Regiment”.

He said: “Bronco Lane is an exceptional soldier whose spirit of adventure and readiness to take risks has led him to the most extreme and dangerous places on earth – including the summit of Mount Everest.”

Lane’s SAS career spanned more than eighteen years during which he rose from trooper to major, serving for some of that time in the coveted rank of regimental sergeant major. In a deadly fighting force where heroics were not uncommon, Lane was nevertheless a modern-day SAS legend. Yet he became much more than a soldier – he is also an adventurer, climber and author. (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

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 October issue of the magazine has four pages on the life and career of Major Michael “Bronco” Lane, a true SAS legend following a quite remarkable military career.

Lane, who was born in Manchester, joined the SAS in 1967, six years after enlisting in the Royal Artillery in his home city. In 1976, aged 30, he took part in the Army Mountaineering Association’s expedition to Mount Everest. (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

First published in Britain at War in September 2019.

Lance Corporal of Horse Christopher Finney GC

Christopher Finney was just eighteen years old when he took part in a dramatic battlefield action for which he would become the youngest serviceman to receive the George Cross (GC). Furthermore, he is also believed to be the only serviceman to receive this prestigious gallantry medal as a result of a “friendly fire” incident – what the military call a “blue on blue” attack.

The son of an IT worker and the middle of three children, he was born in Brussels, the Belgian capital, on 23 May 1984. However, he was brought up in, first, the Manchester area, and then, Dorset, where he attended Ferndown Upper School. While there, he joined the Dorset Army Cadet Force aged thirteen, after he and his best friend decided on a military career. (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

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 four pages on the life and career of Lance-Corporal of Horse Christopher Finney, who was just eighteen years old when he took part in a dramatic battlefield action for which he would become the youngest serviceman to receive the George Cross (GC). (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

First published in Britain at War in August 2019.

Temporary Captain Henry John Andrews VC, MBE

Henry John Andrews was the recipient of a rare inter-war VC. In fact, between the end of the Great War in November 1918 and the beginning of the Second World War in September 1939, there were just 11 actions that led to Britain and the Commonwealth’s most prestigious gallantry award.

Andrews was born in London in 1873 (more precise details of his birth are not known). His father was the foreman in a cardboard box factory and his mother died shortly after her son’s birth. Both his parents were members of The Salvation Army and his mother’s dying wish was that baby Henry (who became known as “Harry”) should be cared for by Bramwell Booth, the first chief-of-staff and the second general of The Salvation Army. (more…)

By Lord Ashcroft

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 August issue of magazine has four pages on the life and career of Temporary Captain Henry John Andrews VC, MBE. Andrews was the recipient of a rare inter-war VC for bravery – there were, in fact, 11 such actions between November 1918 and September 1939. (more…)