Uncommon Valour

A military historian presents a provocative study of the Victoria Cross, the heroes it honors, and the ethics of the British honors system.

What is the nature of courage? How and when should it be recognized? How has our appreciation of it changed over time? These are among the questions Granville Allen Mawer seeks to answer in this absorbing history of the Victoria Cross, the highest honor awarded to members of the British Armed Forces for valor in the presence of the enemy.

Uncommon Valor is both an analytical account of the institution of the Victoria Cross and a fascinating study of the ethics of rewarding bravery. It explores the origin of the award, the rationale behind individual awards, and the ways in which the institution has evolved over its long history. Historian Granville Allen Mawer compares individual actions that led to a Victoria Cross, analyzing the circumstances in which they took place, the character of the individual concerned, and the shifting criteria for giving awards.

This unconventional treatment of the Victoria Cross may be controversial, but it should stimulate a deeper understanding of the history of the medal and of the heroism of those to whom it has been awarded.