Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross was one of the highest honours the United Kingdom could bestow upon armed forces personnel.

In 1857, Arthur Mayo, a young midshipman aboard the Punjab and part of Lieutenant Lewis' detail, won the Victoria Cross during the Indian Mutiny. Four seamen were killed and 21 more were wounded during the engagement. (PROSE: Eye of Heaven)

In a letter dated 1 July 1944, Prem Barsar informed Umbreen that there was talk of Prakash Ahluwalia receiving the Victoria Cross after he was wounded charging an Italian machine gun post in the Upper Tiber Valley. The capture of the post allowed the mixed Allied unit to avoid encirclement, with Prem guessing Prakash had saved more than a hundred lives. (PROSE: Letters from the Front)