Victoria Cross Research
Information on each and every holder of the Victoria Cross — the research of the late Alfred J. Askin, begun in 2000 and kept online by his family in his memory.
Totals as of October 2026 — 1,358 Crosses to 1,355 men (three won it twice, and one was given to the American Unknown Soldier); 1,360 and 1,357 if the two retrospective Victoria Crosses for Australia are counted. See VC facts.
Welcome to the Victoria Cross website
This site was started in 2000 by the late Alfred J. Askin — or Alf, as he liked to be known. Many a weekend would go by where you would find Alf all over the country researching holders of the VC, or looking through books at the Admiralty Library. He was very proud of his work, and unfortunately he was too ill towards the end to put all of the holders of the Victoria Cross on the site.
His family have now completed the register in his memory. Every one of his 1,251 entries is here exactly as he wrote it, and every other holder — including those honoured since his death in 2005 — has a page of his own.
On this day
- Loading today's anniversaries…
Explore the register
- Recipients A–Z1,382 pages
- Searchname · regiment · dates · places
- By regiment or ship500+ units
- By war or campaignCrimea to Afghanistan
- By rankBoy Seaman to General
- Calendarsby date of action & Gazette
- On this dayanniversaries
- Posthumous VCs
- Awarded since 2005Beharry to Norden
- Living VCs7 today
- VC and Barthe three double winners
- Rorke's Drifteleven VCs in one night
- Zeebrugge 1918VCs by ballot
- Crimean Warthe first Crosses
- Airmen VCsRFC, RNAS and RAF
- Royal Navy VCs
- Royal Marines VCs
- Medical VCsdoctors and stretcher-bearers
- Irish-born
- Scottish-born
- Welsh-born
- Canadian-born
- ANZACAustralia, NZ, Tasmania
- Asian VCsIndian Army & Gurkhas
- First investiture 1857
- The Royal Warrant
- Forfeitures
- Places to visitwith maps
- Photo galleriesgraves & memorials
- Index of every page
Some of the men
John Rouse Merriott Chard VC
Lieutenant, Corps of Royal Engineers VC London Gazetted on 2nd May 1879
On 22nd and 23rd January 1879 at Rourke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Lieutenant Chard shared the command of the defenders of the post with…
Noel Godfrey Chavasse VC and Bar
Captain, Royal Army Medical Corps attchd 1/10th Battalion The King's (Liverpool) Regiment
On 9 August 1916, at Guillemont, France, Captain Chavasse attended to the wounded all day under heavy fire, frequently in view of the enemy, and…
John Travers Cornwell VC
Boy First Class, Royal Navy
On 31 May 1916, at the Battle of Jutland, Boy First Class Cornwell of HMS Chester, was mortally wounded early in the battle, but remained standing…
Charles Hazlitt Upham VC and Bar
Second Lieutenant (later Captain), 20th Battalion 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (Canterbury Regt.)
On the island of Crete, between 22nd and 30th May 1941 Second Lieutenant Upham displayed outstanding leadership and courage in the very close quarter…
Kulbir Thapa VC
Rifleman (later Havildar*), 2nd Battalion 3rd Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army
On 25 September 1915, south of Fauquissart, France, Rifleman Kulbir Thapa, having been wounded himself, found a wounded soldier of The Leicestershire…
Matthew Charles Dixon VC
Captain (later Major General), Royal Regiment of Artillery
On 17th April, 1855 in the Crimea, at about 2pm the battery commander by Captain Dixon was blown up by a shell from the enemy which burst in the…
Frequently asked questions
Who was Alfred J. Askin?
Alf Askin (1929–2005) of Derby served in the RAF at St Athan and was a self-taught researcher who spent his retirement travelling to VC graves and memorials and reading some 250 books to compile this register. He answered hundreds of enquiries a month until his death on 29 July 2005. Read more.
Is this an official site?
No. It is a family memorial site based on Alf's personal research. Please verify facts against The London Gazette, the CWGC or the holding museum before relying on them.
Can I contact you or ask for research help?
We are sorry, but no. The site is maintained in Alf's memory and has no contact facility. The links page lists organisations that can help.
Can I sponsor a page or advertise?
Yes — sponsorship keeps the site online. See Support the Site.
How do I search for a recipient?
Use the search page to search by name, regiment, campaign, Gazette date, date of action or place, or browse the A–Z.
Grave restoration
Owing to the age and state of many of the graves of VC recipients it is necessary for them to be refurbished. When Alf wrote this site, donations went to the Magnolia Trust; today the Victoria Cross Trust restores VC graves across the country.