Bravery Gallery

'Scotland for Ever'; the charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo, 18 June 1815. Artist: Unknown

'Scotland for Ever'; the charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo, 18 June 1815. The attack by the Royal Scots Greys cavalry regiment on the French 45th infantry was immortalised in this famous painting of 1881 by Lady Elizabeth Butler (1846-1933). The wife of a general as well as a popular Victorian painter, she persuaded the commander of the regiment to reconstruct the charge so she could make the painting. Some military historians doubt that the action actually took the form of the spectacular headlong charge depicted in the picture. What is known however is that the Scots Greys overpursued the French infantry, became split into disorganised small groups, and suffered heavy casualties at the hands of French cavalry formations before they were able to regain the British lines.

© Ann Ronan Picture Library / Heritage-Images

'How Piper Laidlaw won the Victoria Cross on September 25, 1915', (c1920). Creator

'How Piper Laidlaw won the Victoria Cross on September 25, 1915', (c1920). 'Playing the 7th King's Own Scottish Borderers out of their trenches at the Battle of Loos in the midst of the gas attack'. During the Battle of Loos in northern France, British soldier Daniel Laidlaw (1875-1950) played his bagpipes to encourage the men of his regiment. He was awarded the Victoria Cross by King George V on 3 February 1916: 'For most conspicuous bravery prior to an assault on German trenches near Loos and Hill 70...During the worst of the bombardment, Piper Laidlaw, seeing that his company was badly shaken from the effects of gas, with absolute coolness and disregard of danger, mounted the parapet, marched up and down and played company out of the trench. The effect of his splendid example was immediate and the company dashed out to the assault. Piper Laidlaw continued playing his pipes until he was wounded.' Laidlaw was also awarded the Croix de Guerre by France.

© The Print Collector/Heritage Images

'The Gordon Highlanders. How Piper Findlater won the V.C. at Dargai', 1897, (1939)

'The Gordon Highlanders. How Piper Findlater won the V.C. at Dargai', 1897, (1939). The Storming of the Dargai Heights by the 1st Gordon Highlanders and the Gurkhas, 1897. Fighting between British troops and Afridi tribesmen on the North-West Frontier (a province of British India and later of Pakistan) on 20 October 1897, during the Tirah Campaign. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded after the action. One of the recipients was piper George Findlater who continued to play to encourage his battalion's advance, despite having been wounded. From Battles for the Flag, a set of cards given away with British boys' comic The Wizard. [D. C. Thomson & Co., Dundee, 1939]

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images