Bernard Vann VC: Christian Soldier

Published on 5 May 2020

Over the years Stand To! editor Jon Cooksey was involved in co-writing and producing several documentaries for the BBC in collaboration with BBC Senior Broadcast Journalist and Sports Editor Graham McKechnie. These have now been made available with permission for members.

In the broadcast which we have made available via the link below, broadcaster, ex-musician with the Communards and vicar of Finedon in Northamptonshire, the Rev. Richard Coles tells the story of Bernard Vann, an ordained priest who went on to become a highly decorated battalion commander with the Notts and Derbys Regiment during the Great War.

Bernard Vann
Bernard Vann In Uniform
Click on the arrow above to listen to the broadcast which Jon Cooksey co-produced
Key benefits of membership

Becoming a member of The Western Front Association (WFA) offers a wealth of resources and opportunities for those passionate about the history of the First World War. Here's just three of the benefits we offer:

Online Webinar Icon
Online webinars

The WFA regularly makes available webinars which can be viewed 'live' from home. These feature expert speakers talking about a particular aspect of the Great War.

Iwasthere Icon
I Was There!

Featured on The WFA's YouTube channel are modern day re-interpretations of the inter-war magazine 'I Was There!' which recount the memories of soldiers who 'were there'.

Pensionrecords Icon
Pension records

Explore over 8 million digitized pension records, Medal Index Cards and Ministry of Pension Documents, preserved by the WFA.

Other Articles

1.25Th Cyclists
5 December 2025

From Putney Bridge to Jallianwala Bagh: The 1/25th County of London Cyclists 1914-1919

Read more
Ludendorff Offensive 1918
28 November 2025

Revisiting the Ludendorff Offensives, March-July 1918

Read more
Whicker Thumb Ypres
22 November 2025

Alan Whicker meets the ‘merry mass of men’ returning to Ypres in 1961

Read more
Seaplane Hadaway
19 November 2025

More than just Gallipoli: Naval operations in the Eastern Mediterranean 1914-16

Read more
Picture9
11 November 2025

The Fijian Labour Corps

Read more