Welcome to the Victoria Cross Website.
It contains information, or how to access it, on each and every one of the holders of this Auspicious Award. There are currently 1,352 VCs on the The Register of the Victoria Cross (Published by This England Books. 1997). The actual number of VC's awarded is 1,355 three men having won it twice and one to the American Unknown Soldier.
The website started in 2000 by the late Alfred J. Askin (or Alf as he liked to be known). Unfortunately Alf died of cancer on Friday 29th July but his work will still go on. Many a weekend would go by where you would find Alf all over the country researching various holders of the VC or looking through books at the Admiralty library. He was very proud of his work, and unfortunately he was to ill towards the end to put all 1352 holders of the Victoria Cross on the site.
The Askin/Adams family hopes to continue his work and help answer the hundreds of emails that come in every month. Please do bear with us for information, as we literally have to check various different books (approx. 250) to find out information in more detail.
Information can be obtained by E-mail, telephone, fax or post.
Owing to the age and state of many of the graves of VC recipients it is necessary for them to be refurbished. Donations for this may be paid into THE MAGNOLIA TRUST, c/o This England Magazine, P.O. Box 52, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1YQ.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
On Friday 29th July 2005, Alfred Askin founder of the Victoria Cross Research Website passed away in the presense of his family. We would like to thank everybody who has emailed us with their best wishes. Alf will be cremated at Markeaton Park Cemetery on Thursday 11th August at 10.45am if anybody associated with him would like to attend.
If anybody would like to put a message for him on the site, please email them to; messageforalf@victoriacross.co.uk and we will publish them on a separate page.
The VC website is far from over, his dream was to list as much information as possible on the Victoria Cross holders, and this will be carried on by Rhys (His Grandson) and the rest of the family. Please do keep sending your requests for information through, and we will try our best to provide you with the best information possible using his thousands (yes thousands) of books, newspaper cuttings and other bits.
Many Thanks, Rhys Adams (Grandson)
It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death Of Alf Askin, the founder of this site. He died peacefully at 5.20pm Friday 29th July 2005 with his family at his bedside. He loved gathering the information for this web site and helping anyone who needed it regards recipients of the Victoria Cross. He had gained many friends through his work on this site and thought dearly of them all. A special mention has to be made regards Adrian, a gentleman who my Dad had the greatest respect for and he thought of him as a very dear friend. We hope to continue my Dad's work and in time gain the experience my Father had in this field. This is surely a fitting tribute for all his hard work. Hopefully this site will remain in his memory and I thank you all for best wishes sent during his illness. God Bless You All Andrée Askin