The Lodge took the decision kindly open this up to all Freemasons including entered apprentices and fellowcrafts, and none members of the Lodge, the meeting was very well attended and 17 members the Guernsey & Alderney Light Blues made the most of this opportunity to visit the Lodge and listen to Marks talk.
This is the second time WBro Smith has visited GALIM the first being in October 2023 where he delivered the first part of his talk “For Valor” the story of the Victoria Cross.
Mark bought with him the Victoria Cross that he is the custodian of, 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.
