World’s most useful website

While it does not claim to be totally comprehensive, some pack of absolute brains has put together a list of Victoria Crosses, classified by both school and conflict.

Victoria Cross and bar

As the Victoria Cross is, obviously, a Victorian creation, it does not overly benefit the more ancient schools but nevertheless, Eton comes out as the bravest school in England (apparently becuase people from cleverer but less brave schools could easily convince Etonians of the glamour of going over the top), with Melbourne Grammar School taking the honours in Australia, Upper Cananda College in Canada and Christ’s College in New Zealand.

As the site mentions, Three schools educated the only boys who went on to win the Victoria Cross and Bar (i.e. double Victoria Cross winners), Christ’s College, Canterbury, New Zealand (Charles Upham), Magdalen College School (Noel Godfrey Chavasse) and Westminster School (Arthur Martin-Leake).

This is an absolutely vital resource for settling arguments, proving school quality & qualifications.

Not sure how one operated before without it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Victoria_Crosses_by_school

Black Trouser Day

Charlie Wilson in his office with an Enfield rifle (photo reproduced in The Times, Marcy Nighswander/AP)

All Flashmen are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Charlie Wilson. Immortalised in print by George Crile, and in a subsequent moving picture, Mr Wilson played a crucial role in ramping up American funding to the Afghan resistance to the Soviet invasion during the ’80s.

Mr Wilson’s association with the CIA, US Navy, recreational binge drinking and generally cavalier attitude to conforming to the moralistic norms of an American political career, seem to have jaundiced some commentators against him. Others see his funding for the mujahadeen as the catalyst for today’s more acutely global threats.

For Flashmen though, anyone who gets their shirts tailored with epaulettes, enjoys champagne and travels regularly to the aid of those in Central and Southern Asia’s more idiosyncratically dangerous regions, deserves a salute.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Mr Wilson will be buried with full military honours at Arlington on 23 February.