Commentary
Courage under fire is inspiring to most people in or out of uniform. The soldier who charges forward or crawls through mud towards an objective, who takes out a machine-gun nest, clears an enemy trench, or who dies trying, will always be admired. Perhaps even more, the heroism of saving a fellow soldier’s life is deeply embedded in our culture, decisively shaped by the New Testament saying, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
And so, since ancient times, armies and governments have, where possible, rewarded brave actions. The Victoria Cross (VC), a British Empire bravery medal established in 1856, was innovative in that it was open to all ranks regardless of class distinction. Among the first VC recipients were an Upper Canadian lieutenant (1857) and a Nova Scotian petty officer of black loyalist ex-slave parentage (1859). Clearly, men who have shown outstanding courage in the most dire circumstances come from many backgrounds….