London: Britain's largest display of Victoria Crosses opened at an exhibition here today. The award is the highest and most prestigious military decoration for gallantry in the Armed Forces.

The 50 Victoria Crosses going on display at the Spink gallery in Bloomsbury, London, belong to Lord Ashcroft, who owns 10 per cent of all the 1,351 medals awarded since their inception in 1856.

The exhibition will feature VCs relating to 15 different armed conflicts, from the Crimean War to the Second World War. Among them is one awarded to RAF Sergeant Norman Jackson, who diced with death at 22,000 ft above Germany in a an attempt to extinguish a fire on a Lancaster bomber during the second World War.

Lord Ashcroft, who has written a book entitled Victoria Cross Heroes, said he expected that the entire collection will go on permanent display in 2010. "I hope that this Spink exhibition will provide a worthy foretaste of my aim to celebrate and commemorate the bravest of the brave from our history." The collection will remain on display at the gallery in Soutampton Row, central London until April 25.

Source : PTI