The Secretary of Defense, John Healey, urged to intervene in Lord Ashcroft War Medall Fow | United Kingdom | News

The Secretary of Defense John Healey will be urged to intervene in the row of war medals that gallantry gongs sent to Australia could see.

The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Home 230 Victoria Crosses and a smaller number of George’s crosses from its personal collection, is to close at the Imperial War Museum in London as of June 1.

It means that the value medals that belong to the heroes of the largest battlefield in Great Britain will no longer be shown in public as the nation prepares to pay an unprecedented tribute to our armed forces by marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The businessman and philanthropist Lord Ashcroft, 79, has been approached with offers to assume the collection that, as revealed by the Express, could see them go to Australia, New Zealand or Canada, the only countries whose highest prize for the most conspicuous courage is named in honor of the British (imperial) British (imperial) cross.

Only 1,364 VC have been delivered since 1856 and only 418 GCS since 1940.

The families of heroes who have received the medals will now press Healey to intervene urgently and do everything possible to keep them in the United Kingdom before they leave forever.

The Express were told that he will be aware in “non -uncertain terms” how the relatives of some of our most distinguished war heroes feel “disrespected by officers” in what would be a “significant loss of a greatly important national collection of public exhibition.”

They will tell you that with reverbera instability throughout Europe, the invaluable collection should serve as a “tangible reminder for the nation of the value of telling stories of the greatest courage.”

Lord Ashcroft learned of the IWM decision to close the gallery, which has caused anger and indignation, while in Ukraine In statements to the soldiers of heroes on the first line in their struggle for freedom against the ongoing Russian invasion.

The IWM said that its own collection of VC and GC medals would be “showed in our branches (and) integrated into the galleries that tell the complete history of the conflicts in which they occurred from these acts of courage.” But it will not have the full screen, carefully selected by the prolific private collector Lord Ashcroft.

The IWM trusts govern the Popular Museum in London.

King Charles appoints the president of the IWM trustee Board, currently the Duke of Kent, while other positions are sanctioned by Prime Minister, Mr. Healey, as Secretary of State for Defense, and other government officials.

Christopher Finney, 40, previously from the domestic cavalry, the youngest winner of GC, received his from the late Queen Elizabeth II after he was injured rescuing comrades of US Friendly Fire in Iraq in 2003.

Mr. Finney, president of the Association of VC and GC, who represents the descendants of those who have received medals for acts of extreme courage in front of the enemy, said: “It would be a terrible shame if the incredible collection of Victoria’s crosses and George’s crosses out of what comes to most of the Cross and the foreign women of those maintained.

“I sincerely hope that a resolution can be found that allows these medals to be shown in this country for many years.”

The Lord Ashcroft gallery, called in its honor, opened in 2010 after the businessman and philanthropist made a donation of £ 5 million. For 15 years he has proudly housed his personal collection of medals. It has 240 VC and 41 GC, but not everyone is on display, since there is not enough space.

His intention was to give the medals to the nation, but after the IWM announced that he was closing the wing, Lord Ashcroft started a clause in his will leaving the collection to the public. Since then, it has been flooded with offers of places to exhibit the impressive tour.

He said: “It is true that I have had generous offers of other nations that have expressed interest in showing my collection of VC and GC abroad. However, it would be an error on my part to identify these countries while discussions on this are ongoing.”

A source close to row said: “Understandably, Lord Ashcroft has been contacted by interested parties, all saying:” Please bring the collection here. “Although it would be a huge shame, to show them publicly, despite not being in the United Kingdom, it is much more preferable than this extraordinary living story that is kept locked in a dark and out of view. That was never the intention.”

The gallery closes only five days before the 81st anniversary of the day D on June 6 when Lieutenant Eric Ashcroft, the father of Lord Ashcroft’s war hero, landed on Sword Beach in Normandy, in France occupied by the Nazi, with the South Lanch Lanchire regiment in 1944.

The Ministry of Defense was contacted.