Has anyone ever had their Victoria Cross taken away? 

An act of bravery cannot be undone

These awards (The Victoria or George Crosses) & their accompanying benefits should never be required to be forfeited or canceled under any circumstances, after being conferred upon the recipient! After all, his or hers gloriously heroic deed(s) were always thus being recognized as such & therefore must continue to be so afterwards for evermore, as a genuine & accredited record of such specific, valorous feats for subsequent generations to marvel at & draw inspiration from them! It’s like later rewriting or redacting records, in order to create a false version of history or of an already recorded event, just because you disapprove of someone subsequently, for their later thoughts, views or actions! No one should ever be officially struck out or canceled for any reason, lest of all a VC or GC winner! I very much echo & endorse HM, the late-King George V’s own view & sentiments on this matter, to quote him as, “that even if a VC were to be condemned to death for murder (NB - In my opinion, also for any crime or misdeed whatsoever, including murder &/or treason!), he/she should still be allowed to wear the medal on the scaffold!” I also believe that all hitherto confiscated VCs (Any GCs or other, similar awards & medals too!) should be thus reinstated & returned posthumously or in-person to all the recipients or else to their families or to their ‘next-of-surviving-or-traceable-kin,’ or otherwise their Units’ museums,’ at the earliest instance!

Very good video and, yes, no one should ever have their VC taken away.

I would agree with the idea of reinstating the awards; the same sort of rashness which in wartime can lead to acts of gallantry, can lead men astray in peacetime. The acts which led to the award of the VC should be honoured, as should the award.

The VC is not a good conduct medal but instead awarded for a proven act of great valour and that can never be expunged from history and the record, whatever the subsequent conduct of the individual. Shame upon those who robbed these brave men...

All had in some way PTSD and all medals should be reinstated. Valour should always be rewarded

You cannot alter history, a courageous act is just that, no matter what happens later, it cannot alter the fact of a courageous has been performed

I would hope now any VC awarded should never be removed.

Edmund Fowler got his VC taken away but Queen Victoria said he could have it back. Edmund was my wife's great great grandfather!

How can you deny heroism one it is recognised. All who were awarded the VC should keep them.

King George V decreed that a holder of a VC should always keep his cross even though he is going to the gallows.

The deed or deeds for which the decoration was awarded can never be erased so, in consequence, the award itself should be regarded in the same way.

Bravery is bravery, the medal is awarded for that and should not be dependent on how the recipient conducts himself after. As someone said, bravery isnt undone.

It is wealth while remembering That PTSD Shell Shock Battle Fatigue and other conditions affecting the mind were never considered as possible

I agree none should have their VC taken away except FOR ONE REASON, TEASON as that is against the Monarch and country!

The forfeited VCs should all be reinstated.! There has been a recent law case here in Australia regarding concerning a "VC for Australia" awarded to an Australian SAS soldier in Afghanistan. During the court case evidence was given that some of the recipients SAS colleagues thought that he wasn't the "right sort of person", or words to that effect, to be awarded the VC. I remember discussing this with my wife (I'm ex-Australian Army Reserve) and saying that his character, good, bad or indifferent, has absolutely nothing to do with his being awarded the VC. It's solely the nature of the act for which he's been awarded it that matters! And I have no quarrel with what he was awarded the VC for!

A gallantry award in the face of the enemy should not be withdrawn, unless for treason. Bill Speakman VC seemed a troubled soul who couldn't settle. His service in Korea clearly impacted on him as he donated replicas of his medals to the Korean government and had his ashes buried there.

Irishmen take note: don't bother saving your officer!

I agree with King George's view. I think the only grounds for revoking the VC should be if it's determined that it wasn't deserved in the first place, that the recipient had not actually performed the heroic act attributed to him. A similar policy exists in the Catholic Church. A priest cannot be "de-frocked." "Once a priest, always a priest." A priest CAN be banned from conducting mass, expelled from his order, etc, but he remains a priest. The only exception is, if it's determined that his ordination wasn't valid, in the first place. That policy SHOULD apply to academic credentials, but apparently, it doesn't. In the 1960s, Harvard University revoked Timothy Leary's PhD, even though there was no evidence he had cheated to get it.

This video is UK-centric and thus inaccurate. Cpl Filip Konowal of the 47th Bn of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was awarded his VC for his actions at the battle of Hill in Aug 1917 (his was one of 6 VCs awarded in that battle). Following the war, he moved to the Capital City, Ottawa in search of work. One night he had a disagreement and a fight with a German whom he killed. He was stripped of his VC afterwards although it was restored eventually. Konowal is the only Ukranian-born soldier to ever be awarded the VC. VCs are not only awarded to Brits.

the medal should only ( maybe) be taken away if guitly of treason, but nothing else

George Ravenhills should never have had his vc stripped great granddaughter (lily Ravenhill) he only had to steal the iron to feed his family. And if he had his vc stripped because of that it is disgraceful

"...or he be accused..." In that case, anyone can fabricate an accusation to get the VC revoked.

Very good, thank you.

An act of bravery is an act of bravery. It is all about the deed, not the medal, so it should be never taken away from a recipient. Without the deed, even the VC is a worthless piece of bronze.

It's disgusting that anyone should have the VC taken from them - even more disgusting than anyone having to sell their VC to survive. When it is awarded it should be forever and NOTHING should be allowed to take it away.

The hardest medal to win in the British forces and should NEVER have it taken from them unless they become a traitor to the forces, proven beyond all reasonable doubt.

Whatever your position in society, If you are awarded a VC, the letters VC are always the letters immediately after your name, whatever other letters follow.

Scandalous decision on people who where miles behind the action

The State uses people for its own benefit, but forgets them later, when they are in need. Look at our homeless soldiers on the streets today.

The VC was awarded for an action that can't be expunged. Therefore their medal should not be taken away from them for any action. later committed. A current example is Cpl Ben Roberts-Smith VC. Australian SASR. He has been shown in a civil court case he brought about for defamation to have committed acts of murder separate to his heroic VC action but I don't think he should lose the VC for this.

After this letter from the king King George V felt very strongly that the decoration should never be forfeited and in a letter from his Private Secretary, Lord Stamfordham, on 26 July 1920, his views are forcefully expressed: The King feels so strongly that, no matter the crime committed by anyone on whom the VC has been conferred, the decoration should not be forfeited. Even were a VC to be sentenced to be hanged for murder, he should be allowed to wear his VC on the scaffold.[31] An addition to the warrant in 1931 allowed for the crown to reverse any such forfeiture in line with the Kings wishes and the 8 were returned to the list. Although the rule still applies and exists in real effect once awarded the VC for all intensive purposes it can never be removed. I believe this is right as in whereas a right does not right a wrong also a wrong does not cancel a right !

I always thought Albert Jacka VC was awarded a bar to his first medal Is there any where that one can turn to flesh out the truth of the matte, please? Thank you

My oppion is NO ONE who receivse any kind of medal should have to give it up

All right men you go in first in right behind you ready to receive a nice shiny medal

Norris' History Corner maybe you should start a go fund me (or whatever) to get Ravenhill's grave a proper head stone. Or even get the gov to pay for it out of the unpaid pension.

Inordinate amount of Irishman in this list..

Good stories.

I thought once awarded it couldn't be taken away and you could go to the gallows wearing it see Jeremy Clarkson what it takes to win a VC

19:01 The caption reads that a CIVILIAN named Mr Chicken was awarded the Victoria Cross. I believe that the Victoria Cross can only be awarded to military personnel, and the caption should probably read the George Cross, if a civilian performed an act of extreme bravery.

Once earned the VC should not be taken away....

fascinating

Alcoholism seems to be a common thread. No doubt self medicating due to mental/ physical trauma.

I feel that all should be reinstated on the official record . However the one story I was moved most. Valentine Bambrick V.C. was most tragic 😔 and should be exonerated.

No Victoria Cross or George Cross should never have their award rescinded and any medals that were forfeited should be returned to the recipient's families - wherever possible. George V (I believe) used to state something like this when awarding the VC..... "This medal is presented in a cardboard box. Each valued at 1 penny. Not because the award is worthless, but because such an act of bravery can never be valued highly enough" In essence, the VC only commemorates the highest act of valour. Such actions cannot be taken away, forgotten, nor dismissed by forfeiture of the medal.

Yes I agree they should keep their medals are all brave 🇦🇺

I wonder who the INADEQUATE specimens who rescinded these were.

Some of these guys should have there VC given back to there familys

They shouldn't every have their vc taken away They were let down by the government 😢

The V,C, should never be sold, and be like the Medal of Honour, of the U,S,A,, but go back to his regiment Musium,I hope people will agree with me

James Collis is my relative. I was under the impression that after his sister petitioned the King he was given the medal back but he still had to pawn it for money. My Nan tried to buy it when it came up for auction but we are just a normal family and the cost quickly got out of control, well beyond our means. It is now in a private collection.

Video would have better if the narrator could read.

"Indecent liberties with subordinate officers" maybe I'm totally off here but is that Victorian speak for being gay?

Scoundrel ex-VC.

No VC should be taken away save the crime of High Treasen. The VC is awarded for a single act of heroisom. 1 act is not a reflection of the person. It is a reflection of the persons reactions in a petiicular time, situation and ability to get past their own fear. This same person may turn out tobe a criminal. The fact the person is a criminal does not nigate that facts of their heroism during the action the VC was awarded.

Should never ever of had ther medals taken away from any of these poor hero's . And 💯 per cent people who wer in charge of r nation at the time failed these hero's in life massively 😡

A piece of scrap metal...

Terrible commentary reading. Should of got someone else.