On Friday the 6th of October the Brethren and visitors to the Guernsey and Alderney Lodge of Installed Masters were honoured by the talk given by Mark Smith regarding the history and stories of the Victoria Cross and those decorated with the medal.
You will see a photo of an actual Victoria Cross Medal, this is George Hinckley’s medal, he was 43 years old, and an able seaman in the Royal Navy (hence the Blue Ribbon) serving in the Naval Brigade during the Taiping Rebellion when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 9 October 1862 in Fenghua, China, Able Seaman Hinckley volunteered to go to the rescue of the assistant master of the Sphinx, who was lying in the open severely wounded. The able seaman went out under heavy and continuous fire and carried the assistant master to the shelter of a jess-house 150 yards away. He then returned again to the battlefield and carried a wounded army captain to safety.
Hinckley later achieved the rank of quartermaster.
The Blue ribbon was discontinued in 1918 when the RAF was founded, previously Army had a red ribbon and Navy a Blue. They all have red from 1918 onwards.
The Brethren heard many stories of Valour in the Face of the enemy and those who sacrificed much in the face of over whelming odds.
Please check out the photo’s of our Provincial Grand Master Keith Read, our Past Provincial Grand Master David Hodgetts and Mark Smith who gave the talk.
