Izzard, Brian Glory and Dishonour

Victoria Cross Heroes who fell from Grace

There are numerous books about Victoria Cross recipients, yet this is the first to explore the life stories of those for whom this supreme award brought neither contentment, happiness, nor enduring fame. Men such as Cheltenham-born Duncan Boyes. Seventeen-year-old Midshipman Boyes received the Victoria Cross in 1864 after carrying the regimental colours forward under devastating Japanese fire. Four years later, he took his own life by jumping from a hotel window in Dunedin, New Zealand. How such tragedies unfoldand whyis the central theme of this book. How, for instance, do we assess the actions of Martin Doyle (VC, MM)? During the Battle of the Somme in 1916, he carried a wounded officer to safety under heavy fire. Later, he rushed to the aid of men in a burning tank. When a machine gun opened fire at close range, preventing the rescue of the wounded, he charged forward, put the weapon out of action, and captured three soldiers. Furthermore, despite intense fire, he brought another wounded soldier to safety. Yet, not long afterwards, he would orchestrate the deaths of British soldiers while serving as an IRA intelligence officer. For Victoria Cross recipients, the realization often dawns that winning the medal can sometimes be easier than living with it. *Glory and Dishonour* reveals just how true this can be.