VICTORIA CROSS ASSOCIATION 'VICTORY DAY 8TH JUNE 1946' MENU - SIGNED BY 28 VICTORIA CROSS WINNERS

The menu is from a dinner given at the Dorchester Hotel for winners of the Victoria Cross by the News of the World; the event took place on 8 June 1946 and was attended by 149 Victoria Cross holders.

 

 The menu belonged to Lieutenant William John Symons VC 7th AIF, who won the Victoria Cross at Lone Pine Gallipoli. 

 

His citation reads; 'On 8–9 August 1915, at?Lone Pine,?Gallipoli, Turkey, Symons was in command of a section of newly captured trenches and repelled several counter-attacks with great coolness. An enemy attack on an isolated sap early in the morning resulted in six officers becoming casualties and part of the sap being lost, but Symons retook it, shooting two Turks. The sap was then attacked from three sides and this officer managed, in the face of heavy fire, to build a barricade. On the enemy setting fire to the head cover, he extinguished it and rebuilt the barricade. His coolness and determination finally compelled the enemy to withdraw'. 

 

The menu is signed by 28 VC winners;

Frank Howard Kirby VC and his wife Mabel Saunderson

 Edward Lawson VC 

William John Symons VC 

Leonard Maurice Keysor VC 

Leonard Cheshire VC 

John Elisha Grimshaw VC 

John George Smyth VC 

Charles Hazllit Upham VC & Bar ( he has signed the menu twice)

Reginald Frederick Johnson Hayward VC 

Henry Edward Kenny VC 

Naik Agan Singh Rai VC 

Unknown signature. 

Augustus Charles Newman VC 

Clive Hulme VC 

Robert Edward Cruickshank VC 

Harry Daniels VC 

Ivor Rees VC

Percy Howard Hansen VC 

Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter VC 

Job Henry Charles Drain VC 

Umrao Singh VC 

Unknown

Unknown

 James Upton VC 

Gaje Ghale VC 

Joseph John Davies VC

Unknown? 

Unknown?