Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum


THE LORD ASHCROFT VICTORIA CROSS COLLECTION
previously displayed in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum

The Collection can be found here ( 235 VCs )

The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, located in the Imperial War Museum, contained the world's largest collection of Victoria Cross medal groups, currently standing at 235 VCs. The IWM closed the Gallery on Tuesday, 30th September 2025 the reason given by the museum was to enable the space to be used for other projects.

Lord Ashcroft is currently working in the short and long term on a number of new and exciting ways to promote the Victoria Cross and George Cross Collection.

In the coming days Lord Ashcroft's VC and GC collection will go under lock and key in a vault after which vigorous exploration options will be made to enable the Collection to again go on public display.


To quote from the Imperial War Museum: "Following the closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, the Imperial War Museum plans to integrate our Victoria Cross medal groups in our existing displays across our branches. We are currently working on plans to present Victoria Crosses alongside their important stories, within the context in which they happended. This work is ongoing."

THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM'S OWN VICTORIA CROSS COLLECTION

NO. LNAME FNAME UNIT OWNED
1. AGAR Augustus Royal Navy Gift
2. BAXTER Edward King's ( Liverpool ) Regiment Gift
3. BURMAN William Rifle Brigade Gift
4. CARTWRIGHT George 23rd Bn, Australian Imperial Force Gift
5. CHESHIRE Leonard Royal Air Force Bequest
6. CORNWELL John Royal Navy Gift
7. DAVIES John Thomas South Lancashire Regiment Gift
8. GARFORTH Charles 15th Hussars Bequest
9. MCKENZIE Albert Royal Navy Gift
10. MCPHIE James Royal Engineers Gift
11. NEAME Phillip Royal Engineers Gift
12. PLACE Basil Royal Navy Gift
13. RYDER Robert Edward Middlesex Regiment Gift
14. SMYTH John 15th Ludhiana Sikhs Bequest
15. UPHAM Charles 20th Bn, 2nd NZEF Purchase
16. WEST Ferdinand Royal Air Force Purchase
17. WILKINSON Thomas Royal Navy Gift

VICTORIA CROSS GROUPS ON 'LOAN' TO THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM

NO. LNAME FNAME UNIT LOAN
1. BEATTIE Stephen Royal Navy Loan
2. BRADBURY Edward VC returned to Royal Artillery Battery Loan
3. CARPENTER Alfred Royal Navy Loan
4. COX Christopher Bedfordshire Regiment Loan
5. DORRELL George VC returned to Royal Artillery Battery Loan
6. DREWRY George VC returned to Merchant Taylors' School Loan
7. ESMONDE Eugene Fleet Air Arm Loan
8. ESMONDE Thomas Royal Irish Regiment Loan
9. EVANS George Manchester Regiment Loan
10. FLOWERDEW Gordon Lord Strathcona's Horse, CEF Loan
11. GARDNER Philip Royal Tank Regiment Loan
12. GROGAN George Worcestershire Regiment Loan
13. HAINE Reginald VC sold at a Spink auction Loan
14. HEWITT William 2nd South African Infantry Loan
15. MUGFORD Harold Machine Gun Corps Loan
16. MULLINS Charles VC withdrawn by the family Loan
17. NELSON David VC returned to Royal Artillery Battery Loan
18. NORWOOD John 5th Dragoon Guards Loan
19. POTTS Frederick VC returned to the family Loan
20. RANDLE John Royal Norfolk Regiment Loan
21. RATCLIFFE William South Lancashire Regiment Loan
22. RYDER Robert E. D. Royal Navy Loan
23. SEAGRIM Derek Green Howards Loan
24. SINGH Parkash 8th Punjab Regiment Loan
25. UNWIN Edward Royal Navy Loan
26 WILKINSON Thomas Orde Loyal ( North Lancashire ) Regiment Loan
27. WOODALL Joseph Rifle Brigade Loan

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Iain Stewart, 11 January 2026