The cover of Valiant Hearts: Atlantic Canada and the Victoria Cross, shows Canadian soldiers rushing into battle, their faces obscured by motion.

The book, written by retired Colonel John Boileau, seeks to reveal the identities, histories and the lives of the 20 men who have been honoured with the prized Victoria Cross, and also have strong ties to Atlantic Canada.

Previously, little was known about many of the men, despite the fact they received Canada's most prestigious award for bravery.

The Victoria Cross has been around for 150 years, but has been awarded to fewer than 1,400 British and Commonwealth soldiers in that time. In total, 94 Canadians have received the award, and only 20 of those have had strong ties to Atlantic Canada.

Eleven of the 20 men profiled in the book were born in Atlantic Canada, and the remaining nine either lived or served in the region.

Valiant Hearts covers a period in Canada's war history that stretches from the Crimean War beginning in 1854, to the Second World War – the last time a Canadian with strong ties to Atlantic Canada received the award.

It tells the story of the recipients' lives before they joined the armed forces, during their military careers as they earned the award, and after they retired from the service. It strives for historical accuracy and focuses on the chain of events that led to their recognition.

Through careful research, meticulous fact-finding and interviews, the book shines light on a group of veterans that little was previously known about. It's an interesting cast of characters.

There's Johnny Croak, infamous for always carrying a revolver on his hip and not being afraid to use it. He inspired confidence in his charges, and it was common knowledge that if you went on patrol with the hard-nosed Croak, "You'd come back," the book reveals.

It also takes a close look at the life of William Neilson Hall, the first Canadian sailor, and also the first black man, to be honoured with the Victorian Cross – not a common occurrence in the mid-1800s. Hall eventually retired to a farmhouse near Hantsport, where he lived with his sisters until he died in 1904. Winning the award was never a big deal to him, according to the book.

The author has a long military history himself. Boileau started his military career as a sea cadet in 1959 in Moncton, New Brunswick, and went on to serve in the army for 37 years before retiring with the rank of colonel.

Boileau also wrote Fastest in the World: The Saga of Canada's Revolutionary Hydrofoils.