CONCLUSION: THE NEW HERO IN ACTION, 1940–2006 189
During the Great War the overall average of VC winners wounded in action
ran at just over 20 percent. Raising the threshold of heroism increased
that figure by 5 percent during the Second World War. Overall the cost of
courage increased dramatically during the course of the Second World War,
with total casualties among VC winners running about 20 percent higher
than in the previous world war.^11
Perhaps the most telling figure is the most basic of all: the raw number
of awards given. Rewriting the warrant and tightening the interpretation of
the regulations concerning the Victoria Cross resulted in fewer awards being
granted. In general the British military was more frugal than its counterparts
in any official recognition of heroism. For example, British aircrews sported
far fewer ribbons and decorations than their American allies.^12 The Victoria
Cross was no exception. During the First World War the Crown confirmed
634 VCs. The Second World War generated 182.
The attitude of the committee toward the nature of heroism shines
through in the types of heroism awarded. The figures speak for themselves
(Table 10.2). A hero does not save the wounded. A hero does not engage
in meaningless acts of a symbolic nature. The hero kills the enemy.
There was little room for humanitarian awards, with even fewer Crosses
for life saving than had been seen in the First World War. Haig’s vision
of the aggressive, remorseless soldier had become the official interpretation
of the highest form of heroism. The statistics remain remarkably constant
throughout the war. Although it looks like a substantial difference in 1941
with fully 14 percent of the Crosses granted for life saving, it must be
pointed out that had just one of the humanitarian VCs of that year been for
war winning instead, 1941 would have been statistically identical to 1942.
Table 10.2 Acts winning the Victoria Cross, the Second World War: winners per
year
Year 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
16 22 33 25 52 34

Awarded Raw % Raw % Raw % Raw % Raw % Raw %

War-winning 15 94 19 86 30 91 23 92 48 92 31 91

• Offensive 7 44 12 56 23 70 23 92 37 71 23 68


• Defensive 6 37 4 18 5 15 0 0 10 19 6 18


• Symbolic 2 121526000013


• Secondary 001500001213
  Humanitarian 1 6 3 14 39283639