Victoria Cross



On 29 January 1856 Queen Victoria of Great Britain signed a Royal Warrant, which instituted a new decoration for officers and men deserving some sort of recognition. On the Queens request the award was made retrospective to 1854. In this year Great Britain became involved in a war with Russia, this conflict would be known as the Crimean War.



The Royal Warrant mentioned that the Victoria Cross could only be awarded to those officers and men who have served in the presence of the enemy, and shall have then performed some signal act of valour or devotion to their country. It is further mentioned that neither rank, nor long service, nor wounds, nor any other circumstance or condition whatsoever, save the merit of conspicuous bravery, shall be held to establish a sufficient claim to the honour.



The Victoria Cross is highly valued in British military history and has developed into the highest decoration for gallantry that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces since 1854.



The Victoria Cross is made from metal taken of Chinese cannons captured from the Russians during the Crimean War.The decoration is formed as a Maltese Cross ensigned with a lion upon the Royal Crest. On the obverse side of the decoration the text ?For Valour? is mentioned. On the reverse side of the decoration some details about the Victoria Cross recipient are mentioned. Common details are name, rank, unit and the date of the act of gallantry.



Originally the ribbon was dark blue for the Royal Navy and crimson for the Army. A Royal Warrant dated 22 May 1920, signed by Winston Churchill, authorized that the Crimson ribbon should be adopted by all services of the English Forces.



Some facts about the Victoria Cross:

Ever since 1856 each Victoria Cross is handmade by Hancocks, a London Jewellers, and therefore every decoration is unique in its sort.



The Victoria Cross was, and is only awarded by Royal assent and is usually presented by the monarch.



The Victoria Cross has been presented 1354 times since its institution. The first presentation was to C.D. Lewis, for his heroic actions in the Baltic Sea on 21 June 1854. The last two decorations are presented to Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Jones and Sergeant Ian McKay, for their heroic actions during the Falklands War on 12 June 1982.



The first presentation of the Victoria Cross was made in Hyde Park on 26 Jun 1857 where Queen Victoria decorated 62 officers and men for their heroic actions during the Crimean War.



Only three men have received the Victoria Cross twice. These are Arthur Martin-Leake, Noel Chavasse and Charles Upham.



There are three cases where both father and son have received the Victoria

Cross. Only four times the Victoria Cross was presented to brothers. During the Second World War the Victoria Cross was presented 182 times, Charles Upham received the Victoria Cross twice during this campaign. For actions during the Normandy Landings of 6 June 1944 only one Victoria Cross was awarded, this went to Stanley Hollis, a member of the Green Howards.



Since 1920 the Victoria Cross can be awarded posthumously, and until 1977 this was the only English decoration that could be awarded posthumously.



The largest number of Victoria Crosses won in a single day was on 16 November 1856 during the Indian Mutiny. On this day 24 men were awarded this British decoration.



The largest number of Victoria Crosses won in a single action was on 22 January 1879 at Rorke?s Drift during the Zulu War. In reference to this action 11 men were awarded this English decoration.



Fourteen men not born British or Commonwealth citizens have received the Victoria Cross. These were five Americans, one Belgian, three Danes, two Germans, one Swede, a Swiss and a Ukrainian.



The Royal Artillery is the corps that has won the highest number of Victoria Crosses since its institution. This unit has won the Victoria Cross 51 times, the Royal Engineers have won the Victoria Cross 41 times and the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Rifle Brigade have each won the Victoria Cross 27 times.



Since 1945 the Victoria Cross has been awarded only 11 times, the last two during the Falklands War in 1982.