Victoria Cross, Source: Veterans Affairs Canada

The Victoria Cross (official post-nominal letters "VC") is the highest award for gallantry that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces of any rank in any service and civilians under military command.

The original inscription on the cross was "FOR BRAVERY" but this was amended to "FOR VALOUR" on the recommendation of Queen Victoria who thought some might erroneously consider that only recipients were brave in battle.

The VC was first issued on January 29 1856, recognising acts of valour during the Crimean War of 1854-1855. All VCs are cast from the bronze of two Chinese cannons that were reputedly captured from the Russians at the of siege of Sevastopol. Some historians doubt the cannon were at Sevastopol.

The medal takes the form of a Maltese cross, or cross patte, 1.375 inches wide, bearing a crown surmounted by a lion, and the inscription. The ribbon is crimson, 1.5 inches wide.

Since its inception it has been awarded 1354 times. The largest number of VCs awarded in a single day was 24 on November 16 1857 at the relief of Lucknow. The largest number awarded in a single action was at Rorke's Drift on January 22 1879. Since the end of the Second World War the VC has only been awarded 11 times. The last two were awarded during the Falklands War in 1982. Only three people have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice, Noel Chavasse, Arthur Martin-Leake and New Zealander Charles Upham. The second award is designated by a bar worn on the suspension ribbon of the original decoration and this is thus known as a VC and Bar and since a small cross device is worn on the VC ribbon when worn alone, a recipient of the VC and bar would wear two such crosses on the ribbon.

The VC has, exceptionally, been awarded to the American Unknown Soldier (the reciprocal award of the US Medal of Honor being made to the British Unknown Warrior).

Since the VC is awarded for acts of valour "in the face of the enemy", it is thought by some that the changing nature of warfare will result in few VCs being awarded. The last awards were made in 1982.

The corresponding honour for civilians or for acts of valour that do not qualify as "in the face of the enemy" is the George Cross.

In April of 2004 the Victoria Cross awarded to Sergeant Norman Jackson RAF was sold at auction for £235,250 (GBP). During a bombing raid over Germany in April of 1944, Jackson's Lancaster bomber caught fire after being hit by a German fighter. Jackson strapped on a parachute and equipped himself with a fire extinguisher before climbing out of the aircraft and onto the fuselage, whilst the aeroplane was flying at 200mph, in order to put out the fire. His chute partially opened causing him to slip out onto the wing. As he passed through the fire he sustained serious burns before falling 20,000 feet to the ground with a partially opened and burning parachute. He suffered further injuries upon landing, but managed to crawl to a nearby German village. He spent 10 months recovering in hospital before being transferred to a prisoner of war camp.

Related Articles

• List of Victoria Cross recipients by Name - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
• List of living Victoria Cross recipients
• List of Victoria Cross recipients by Campaign
• List of Victoria Cross recipients by Nationality
• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
• List of Canadian Victoria Cross winners

External links

• Victoria Cross Reference (http://www.victoriacross.net/default.asp)
• Victoria Cross Research page (http://www.victoriacross.co.uk/)