George Cross

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For other uses, see George Cross (disambiguation).
George Cross



Obverse of the medal. Ribbon: 38 mm, dark blue.
Awarded by Commonwealth Realms
Type Civil decoration.
Eligibility Commonwealth subjects.
Awarded for "... acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger."
Status Currently awarded.
Description Height 48 mm, max. width 45 mm; (Obverse) plain silver cross with circular medallion in the centre depicting the effigy of St. George and the Dragon, surrounded by the words "FOR GALLANTRY". In the angle of each limb is the Royal Cypher GVI; (Reverse) plain, centre engraved with name of recipient and date of award. Cross attached by ring to bar ornamented with laurel leaves, through which the ribbon passes.
Statistics
Established 24 September 1940
Total awarded 159 (including 2 collective awards)
Posthumous
awards		 86
Distinct
recipients		 159 (including 2 collective awards)
Precedence
Same Victoria Cross
Next (lower) George Medal

The George Cross (GC) is the highest civil decoration of the Commonwealth of Nations.[1] The GC is the civilian counterpart of the Victoria Cross and the highest gallantry award for civilians as well as for military personnel in actions which are not in the face of the enemy or for which purely military honours would not normally be granted.[2] However, the VC is higher in order of precedence and would be worn first by an individual who had been awarded both decorations (which has not so far occurred).

Contents

[edit] Creation

The GC was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI.[3] At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage. The existing awards open to civilians were not judged suitable to meet the new situation, therefore it was decided that the George Cross and the George Medal would be instituted to recognise both civilian gallantry in the face of enemy action and brave deeds more generally.

Announcing the new award, the King said: "In order that they should be worthily and promptly recognised, I have decided to create, at once, a new mark of honour for men and women in all walks of civilian life. I propose to give my name to this new distinction, which will consist of the George Cross, which will rank next to the Victoria Cross, and the George Medal for wider distribution."[4]

The Warrant for the GC (along with that of the GM), dated 24 January 1941, was published in the London Gazette on 31 January 1941.[5]

The GC was intended to replace the Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM); all holders of the EGM were instructed to exchange their medals for a GC, a substitution of awards unprecedented in the history of British decorations. This substitution policy ignored holders of the Albert Medal (AM) and the Edward Medal (EM), awards which both took precedence over the EGM.[6] The anomaly was only rectified in 1971, when the surviving recipients of the AM and the EM were invited to exchange their award for the George Cross. Of the 64 holders of the Albert Medal and 68 holders of the Edward Medal eligible to exchange, 49 and 59 respectively took up the option.[7]

[edit] Award

The medal, which may be awarded posthumously, is granted in recognition of "acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger."[8]

The medal is primarily a civilian award; however the George Cross may be awarded to military personnel for gallant conduct which is not in the face of the enemy.[9] As the Warrant states:

The Cross is intended primarily for civilians and award in Our military services is to be confined to actions for which purely military Honours are not normally granted.[10]
George Cross as it appears on Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones.
George Cross as it appears on Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones.

Bars are awarded to the GC in recognition of the performance of further acts of bravery meriting the award, although none have yet been awarded. Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters GC.[11] In common with the Victoria Cross, a distinction peculiar to these two premier awards for bravery, in undress uniform or on occasions when the medal ribbon alone is worn, a miniature replica of the cross is affixed to the centre of the ribbon.[12]

The details of all awards are published in the London Gazette with the exception of the two collective bestowals.

[edit] Recipients

See also: List of George Cross recipients

Since its inception in 1940, the GC has been awarded posthumously to 86 recipients and to 73 living people (excluding the two collective awards to Malta and the Royal Ulster Constabulary).[7]

[edit] Recent recipients

The most recent recipient of the George Cross is Corporal Mark Wright, of the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, who died in Helmand Province of Afghanistan on 6 September 2006, after entering a minefield in an attempt to save the lives of other injured soldiers. He entered the minefield with a small team after another soldier stepped on a landmine. While the first casualty was being tended to, further landmines detonated as a landing space was cleared for a CASEVAC attempt, causing severe injuries to several others. Cpl Wright remained in the minefield, and ordered others out, but he was himself injured by another mine while making his way to the helicopter. He maintained the morale of the other wounded soldiers, despite his serious injuries, but died of his wounds during the flight to the field dressing station.[13]

Prior to that, the two most recent military recipients of the George Cross were Captain Peter Norton, an Ammunition Technical Officer of the Royal Logistic Corps, for gallantry when, on 24 July 2005, he led a bomb disposal team at the site of an IED attack on a US military patrol in Iraq, sustaining serious injuries.[14] Previously, Trooper Christopher Finney of the Blues and Royals had been awarded the George Cross on 31 October 2003 for gallantry during a friendly fire incident in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[15] Finney is also the youngest military recipient of the decoration.

The most recent civilian recipient was Sergeant Stewart Guthrie of the New Zealand Police, who received his award posthumously for his part in apprehending a gunman in the Aramoana massacre in New Zealand.[16]

[edit] Female awards

In its history, the GC has been awarded directly to only four women (although a number of others have received the awards superseded by the GC), Odette Sansom,[17] Violette Szabo,[18] and Noor Inayat Khan[19] (all members of FANY, who were awarded the George Cross for actions carried out while serving as agents in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II), and Barbara Jane Harrison, an Air Stewardess, on a BOAC flight at Heathrow Airport, who died on 8 April 1968 after helping many passengers escape from an onboard fire.[20]

[edit] Collective awards

The Flag of Malta displays its George Cross
The Flag of Malta displays its George Cross

The George Cross has, on the express instruction of the Sovereign, been awarded twice on a collective basis,[21] to the island of Malta and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).

[edit] Malta

Main article: George Cross (Malta)

The GC was awarded to the island of Malta in a letter dated 15 April 1942 from King George VI to the island's Governor Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie:

To honour her brave people, I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history.

The Governor answered:

By God's help Malta will not weaken but will endure until victory is won.

The cross and the messages are today found in the War Museum in Fort Saint Elmo, Valletta. The fortitude of the population under sustained enemy air raids and a naval blockade which almost saw them starved into submission, won widespread admiration in Britain and other Allied nations. Some historians argue that the award was in fact a propaganda gesture to justify the huge losses sustained by Britain to prevent Malta from capitulating as Singapore had done in the Battle of Singapore.[22]

The George Cross is woven into the Flag of Malta and can be seen wherever the flag is flown.

[edit] Royal Ulster Constabulary

The GC was awarded to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1999 by Queen Elizabeth II following the advice of her Government. Buckingham Palace announced,

The Queen has awarded the George Cross to the Royal Ulster Constabulary, to honour the courage and dedication of the officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and their families who have shared their hardships.

The Queen paid her own personal tribute to the RUC by presenting the George Cross to the organisation in person at Hillsborough Castle, County Down.

The citation published in the London Gazette on November 23, 1999 states:

For the past 30 years, the Royal Ulster Constabulary has been the bulwark against, and the main target of, a sustained and brutal terrorism campaign. The Force has suffered heavily in protecting both sides of the community from danger—302 officers have been killed in the line of duty and thousands more injured, many seriously. Many officers have been ostracised by their own community and others have been forced to leave their homes in the face of threats to them and their families. As Northern Ireland reaches a turning point in its political development this award is made to recognise the collective courage and dedication to duty of all of those who have served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and who have accepted the danger and stress this has brought to them and to their families.

Two years later (on 4 November 2001), the RUC was renamed and is now the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

[edit] Awards by nation

There have been 10 GCs awarded to Canadians (including those by substitution for awards superseded by the GC): eight military, one Merchant Navy, and one woman. The GC is no longer awarded to Canadians by the Queen of Canada, who awards the Cross of Valour (Canadian) instead.

[edit] Australia

Memorial to Australian recipients, George Cross Park, Canberra
Memorial to Australian recipients, George Cross Park, Canberra

14 George Crosses were awarded to Australians between 1940 and 1978, five of this total going to civilians. In alphabetical order the Australian GC recipients are:

Of the 14, four awards were made to officers of the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (Goldsworthy, Gosse, Mould and Syme) who served in the extremely dangerous role of mine disposal during World War II. Courage of a different sort was displayed by two prisoners of war (Madden and Matthews) who endured terrible suffering without flinching, with Madden dying of privations while assisting fellow prisoners, and Matthews eventually being executed by his captors for building a resistance network. The last Australian to be awarded the GC (in 1978), and the most recent surviving civilian recipient, was Constable Michael Pratt of the Victoria Police, Melbourne, for arresting two armed bank robbers in June 1976. A memorial to Australian recipients was opened in the Capital, Canberra, on 4 April 2001 by the Governor General of Australia, Sir William Deane. George Cross Park is in Blamey Crescent bounded by Moten Street, Campbell.

The George Cross is no longer awarded to Australians. The Queen of Australia established the Cross of Valour in 1975 to be awarded by the Australian Crown "only for acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril". This is now used instead of the George Cross.

[edit] Annuity

Holders of the George Cross or Victoria Cross are entitled to an annuity, the amount of which is determined by the awarding government.[28] Since 2002, the annuity paid by the British government is £1,495 per year.[4] As at January 2005, under the Canadian Gallantry Awards Order, members of the Canadian Forces, or people who joined the British forces before 31 March 1949 while domiciled in Canada or Newfoundland, receive $3,000 per year.[4] For Australian holders, the amount is determined by clause 11A1.2 of the Australian Defence Force Pay and Conditions, and as of January 2005 is $250 per year.

[edit] Restriction of Use

As of 1943 in accordance with the George Cross (Restriction of Use) Ordinance, in Malta it is unlawful to use the George Cross or an imitation of it or the words George Cross, for the purposes of trade or business without the authorisation of the Prime Minister.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Although certain Commonwealth Realms have now instituted their own indigenous honours systems, replacing the GC and other Commonwealth awards so far as their citizens are concerned.
  2. ^ Mackay, J. (Author), Mussell, P. (Author), Mussell, J.W. (Editor), (2005), The Medal Yearbook 2006, (Token Publishing Ltd: Devon)
  3. ^ British Gallantry Medals, p. 138
  4. ^ a b c George Cross Database. Retrieved on 12 September 2007.
  5. ^ London Gazette: no. 35060, pages 622–624, 31 January 1941. Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  6. ^ British Gallantry Awards, p. 138
  7. ^ a b George Cross Database. Retrieved on 12 September 2007.
  8. ^ London Gazette, No. 35060 - Warrant, Fifth clause
  9. ^ Which could not therefore be recognised by a military decoration, given that they typically require gallantry in the face of the enemy.
  10. ^ London Gazette, No. 35060 - Warrant, Second clause
  11. ^ London Gazette, 31 January 1941 - Warrant, Eighth clause
  12. ^ One miniature replica signifying a single award. In the event of a second award of the GC (the award of a bar), a second replica would be worn on the ribbon, and so on for further awards. London Gazette, No. 35060 - Warrant, Seventh clause
  13. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58182, pages 17352–17353, 15 December 2006. Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  14. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57935, pages 7191–4192, 24 March 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  15. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57100, page 1, 30 October 2003. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
  16. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 52837, pages 2783–2784, 17 February 1992. Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  17. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37693, page 4175, 16 August 1946. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  18. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37820, page 6127, 13 December 1946. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  19. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38578, page 1703, 5 April 1949. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
  20. ^ London Gazette: no. 44913, page 8211, 7 August 1969. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  21. ^ Such collective awards have only been bestowed on three occasions—two separate awards of the George Cross to Malta and the RUC and one award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross to the Royal Irish Regiment.
  22. ^ The Siege of Malta in World War Two. Retrieved on April 15, 2007.
  23. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37771, page 5307, 25 October 1946. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  24. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 42162, page 6849, 7 October 1960. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  25. ^ London Gazette: no. 45588, page 1281, 1 February 1972. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  26. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36707, page 4333, 15 September 1944. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  27. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 47582, page 8045, 3 July 1978. Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  28. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 43684, page 5693, 11 June 1965. Retrieved on 2008-01-10. - Warrant, Fourteenth clause

[edit] Bibliography

  • Abbott, PE and Tamplin, JMA - British Gallantry Awards, (1981), Nimrod Dix and Co.
  • Bisset, I - The George Cross, MacGibbon & Kee (1961)
  • Duckers, P - British Gallantry Awards 1855-2000, (2001), Shire Publications
  • Hebblethwaite, M - One Step Further: Those whose gallantry was rewarded with the George Cross. Series of 9 books. Chameleon HH Publishing Ltd from 2005 (ISBN 0954691717 onwards)
  • Mackay, J and Mussell, J (eds) - Medal Yearbook - 2005, (2004), Token Publishing.
  • Smyth, Sir John - The Story of the George Cross, Arthur Baker Ltd. (1968) ISBN 0213763079
  • Stanistreet, A - 'Gainst All Disaster, Picton Publishing Ltd. (1986) ISBN 0-948251-16-6
  • The Register of the George Cross, This England, 2nd Edition (1990) ISBN 0-906324-17-3
  • George Cross (Restriction of Use) Ordinance, Government of Malta, (1943)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links