The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals, and may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command.[1] The award was officially constituted when Queen Victoria issued a warrant under the Royal sign-manual on 29 January 1856 that was gazetted on 5 February 1856.[2] The order was backdated to 1854 to recognise acts of valour during the Crimean War.[3] The first awards ceremony was held on 26 June 1857, where Queen Victoria invested 62 of the 111 Crimean recipients in a ceremony in Hyde Park.[4]
The first citations of the VC, particularly those in the initial gazette of 24 February 1857, varied in the details of each action; some specify date ranges while some specify a single date. The original Royal Warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously.[5] Between 1897 and 1901, several notices were issued in the London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not "officially" awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six soldiers.[6] The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to explicitly allow posthumous awards until 1920, but one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous.[7][8] Three people have been awarded the VC and Bar, which is a medal for two actions; Noel Chavasse, Arthur Martin-Leake and Charles Upham.[9] Chavasse received both medals for actions in the First World War, while Martin-Leake was awarded his first VC for actions in the Second Boer War, and his second for actions during the First World War. Charles Upham received both VCs for actions during the Second World War.
The Victoria Cross has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. The largest number of recipients for one campaign is the First World War, for which 628 medals were awarded to 627 recipients.[10] The largest number awarded for actions on a single day was 24 on 16 November 1857, at the Second Relief of Lucknow, during the Indian Mutiny.[11] The largest number awarded for a single action was 18, for the assault on Sikandar Bagh, during the Second Relief of Lucknow. The largest number awarded to one unit during a single action was 7, to the 2nd/24th Foot, for the defence of Rorke's Drift (22–23 January 1879), during the Zulu War.[12]
Since 1991, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have created their own separate Victoria Crosses: the Victoria Cross for Australia, the Victoria Cross (Canada), and the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. Only five of these separate medals have been awarded, all for actions in the War in Afghanistan; Willie Apiata received the Victoria Cross for New Zealand on 26 July 2007; on 16 January 2009 Mark Donaldson, on 24 August 2010 Daniel Keighran, on 23 January 2011 Ben Roberts-Smith, and on 13 February 2014 Cameron Baird (posthumous award), were awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. As these are separate medals, they are not included in this list.
Recipients | Unit | Campaign | Dates | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
111 Crimean War recipients‡ | — | Crimean War | 1854–1856 | — |
John Wood | 20th Bombay Native Infantry | Anglo-Persian War | 9 August 1856 | Bushire, Persia |
John Malcolmson | 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry | Anglo-Persian War | 8 February 1857 | Khoosh-ab, Persia |
Arthur Moore | 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry | Anglo-Persian War | 8 February 1857 | Khoosh-ab, Persia |
182 Indian Mutiny recipients‡ | — | Indian Mutiny | 1857–1859 | — |
Nathaniel Burslem | 67th Regiment of Foot | Third China War | 21 August 1860 | Taku Forts, China |
John Chaplin | 67th Regiment of Foot | Third China War | 21 August 1860 | Taku Forts, China |
Andrew Fitzgibbon | 67th Regiment of Foot | Third China War | 21 August 1860 | Taku Forts, China |
Thomas Lane | 67th Regiment of Foot | Third China War | 21 August 1860 | Taku Forts, China |
Edmund Lenon | 67th Regiment of Foot | Third China War | 21 August 1860 | Taku Forts, China |
John McDougall | 44th Regiment of Foot | Third China War | 21 August 1860 | Taku Forts, China |
Robert Rogers | 44th Regiment of Foot | Third China War | 21 August 1860 | Taku Forts, China |
15 New Zealand Wars recipients‡ | — | New Zealand Wars | 1860–1865 | — |
George Hinckley | Naval Brigade | Taiping Rebellion | 9 October 1862 | Fenghua, China |
George Fosbery | 4th Bengal European Regiment | Umbeyla Campaign | 30 October 1863 | Crag Picquet, India |
Henry Pitcher | 4th Punjab Infantry | Umbeyla Campaign | 30 October 1863 | Crag Picquet, India |
Duncan Boyes | HMS Euryalus | Bombardment of Shimonoseki | 6 September 1864 | Kanmon Straits, Japan |
Thomas Pride | Royal Navy | Bombardment of Shimonoseki | 6 September 1864 | Kanmon Straits, Japan |
William Seeley | HMS Euryalus | Bombardment of Shimonoseki | 6 September 1864 | Kanmon Straits, Japan |
James Dundas | Bengal Engineers | Bhutan War | 30 April 1865 | Dewan-Giri, India |
William Trevor | Bengal Engineers | Bhutan War | 30 April 1865 | Dewan-Giri, India |
Timothy O'Hea | Rifle Brigade | —[A] | 9 June 1866 | Danville, Quebec |
Samuel Hodge | West India Regiment | The Gambia | 30 June 1866 | Tubabecelong, Gambia| |
David Bell | 24th Regiment of Foot | Andaman Islands Expedition | 7 May 1867 | Little Andaman |
Campbell Douglas | 24th Regiment of Foot | Andaman Islands Expedition | 7 May 1867 | Little Andaman |
James Cooper | 24th Regiment of Foot | Andaman Islands Expedition | 7 May 1867 | Little Andaman |
Thomas Murphy | 24th Regiment of Foot | Andaman Islands Expedition | 7 May 1867 | Little Andaman |
William Griffiths | 24th Regiment of Foot | Andaman Islands Expedition | 7 May 1867 | Little Andaman |
James Bergin | 33rd Regiment of Foot | Abyssinian War | 13 April 1868 | Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia |
Michael Magner | 33rd Regiment of Foot | Abyssinian War | 13 April 1868 | Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia |
Donald Macintyre | 2nd Gurkha Rifles | Looshai Expedition | 4 January 1872 | Lalgnoora, India |
Edric Gifford | 24th Regiment of Foot | First Ashanti Expedition | 1873–1874 | Becquah, Ashanti |
Reginald Sartorius | 6th Bengal Cavalry | First Ashanti Expedition | 17 January 1874 | Abogu, Ashanti |
Samuel McGaw | 42nd Regiment of Foot | First Ashanti Expedition | 21 January 1874 | Amoaful, Ashanti |
Mark Bell | Corps of Royal Engineers | First Ashanti Expedition | 4 February 1874 | Ordashu, Ashanti |
George Channer | Bengal Staff Corps | Perak War | 20 December 1875 | Malaya, Malaysia |
Andrew Scott | Bengal Staff Corps | Baluchistan | 26 July 1877 | Quetta, India |
Hans Moore | 88th Regiment of Foot | 9th Cape Frontier War | 29 December 1877 | King William's Town, Cape Colony |
23 Zulu War recipients‡ | — | Zulu War | 1879 | — |
16 Second Afghan War recipients‡ | — | Second Afghan War | 1878–1880 | — |
Peter Brown | Cape Mounted Riflemen | Basuto War | 8 April 1879 | Morosi's Mountain, South Africa |
Robert Scott | Cape Mounted Riflemen | Basuto War | 8 April 1879 | Morosi's Mountain, South Africa |
Edmund Hartley | Cape Mounted Riflemen | Basuto War | 5 June 1879 | Morosi's Mountain, South Africa |
Francis Fitzpatrick | 94th Regiment of Foot | Campaign against Sekukuni | 28 November 1879 | Sekukuni's Town, South Africa |
Thomas Flawn | 94th Regiment of Foot | Campaign against Sekukuni | 28 November 1879 | Sekukuni's Town, South Africa |
John McCrea | 1st Cape Mounted Yeomanry | Basuto War | 14 January 1881 | Tweefontein, South Africa |
Richard Ridgeway | Bengal Staff Corps | Second Naga Hills Expedition | 22 November 1879 | Konama, India |
John Danaher | Nourse's Horse | First Boer War | 16 January 1881 | Elandsfontein, South Africa |
James Murray | 94th Regiment of Foot | First Boer War | 16 January 1881 | Elandsfontein, South Africa |
John Doogan | 1st King's Dragoon Guards | First Boer War | 28 January 1881 | Laing's Nek, South Africa |
Alan Hill | 58th Regiment of Foot | First Boer War | 28 January 1881 | Laing's Nek, South Africa |
James Osborne | 58th Regiment of Foot | First Boer War | 22 February 1881 | Wesselstroom, South Africa |
Joseph Farmer | Royal Army Medical Corps | First Boer War | 27 February 1881 | Majubu Hill, South Africa |
Israel Harding | HMS Alexandra | Occupation of Egypt | 11 July 1882 | Alexandria, Egypt |
Frederick Corbett | King's Royal Rifle Corps | Occupation of Egypt | 5 August 1882 | Kafr Dowar, Egypt |
William Edwards | Highland Light Infantry | Occupation of Egypt | 13 September 1882 | Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt |
William Marshall | 19th Hussars | Sudan Campaign | 29 February 1884 | El Teb, Sudan |
Arthur Wilson | HMS Hecla | Sudan Campaign | 29 February 1884 | El Teb, Sudan |
Thomas Edwards | Black Watch | Sudan Campaign | 13 March 1884 | Tamai, Sudan |
Percival Marling | King's Royal Rifle Corps | Sudan Campaign | 13 March 1884 | Tamai, Sudan |
Alfred Smith | Royal Regiment of Artillery | Sudan Campaign | 17 January 1885 | Abu Klea, Sudan |
Thomas Byrne | 21st Lancers | Sudan Campaign | 2 September 1898 | Omdurman, Sudan |
Raymond De Montmorency | 21st Lancers | Sudan Campaign | 2 September 1898 | Omdurman, Sudan |
Paul Kenna | 21st Lancers | Sudan Campaign | 2 September 1898 | Omdurman, Sudan |
Nevill Smyth | 2nd Dragoon Guards | Sudan Campaign | 2 September 1898 | Omdurman, Sudan |
Alexander Hore-Rithven | Highland Light Infantry | Sudan Campaign | 22 September 1898 | Gedarif, Sudan |
John Crimmin | Bombay Medical Service | British rule in Burma | 1 January 1889 | Karenni, Burma |
Ferdinand Le Quesne | Royal Army Medical Corps | British rule in Burma | 4 May 1889 | Tartan, Burma |
Charles Grant | Indian Staff Corps | Manipur Expedition | 9 April 1891 |
21 March 1891 toThobal, Burma |
Fenton Aylmer | Corps of Royal Engineers | Hunza-Naga Campaign | 2 December 1891 | Nilt Fort, India |
Guy Boisragon | 5th Gurkha Rifles | Hunza-Naga Campaign | 2 December 1891 | Nilt Fort, India |
John Smith | 5th Gurkha Rifles | Hunza-Naga Campaign | 20 December 1891 | Nilt Fort, India |
William Gordon | West India Regiment | The Gambia | 13 March 1892 | Toniataba, Gambia |
Owen Lloyd | Royal Army Medical Corps | Kachin Hills Expedition | 6 January 1893 | Fort Sima, Burma |
Harry Whitchurch | Indian Medical Service | Chitral Expedition | 3 March 1895 | Chitral Fort, India |
Herbert Henderson | Bulawayo Field Force | Matabeleland Rebellion | 30 March 1896 | Bulawayo, Rhodesia |
Frank Baxter | Bulawayo Field Force | Matabeleland Rebellion | 22 April 1896* | Umguza, Rhodesia |
Randolph Nesbitt | Mashonaland Mounted Police | Mashona Rebellion | 19 June 1896 | Salisbury, Rhodesia |
Edmond Costello | 22nd Punjab Infantry | Siege of Malakand | 26 July 1897 | Malakand, India |
James Colvin | Corps of Royal Engineers | Mohmand Campaign | 16 September 1897 | Bilot, India |
James Smith | Corps of Royal Engineers | Mohmand Campaign | 16 September 1897 | Bilot, India |
Thomas Watson | Corps of Royal Engineers | Mohmand Campaign | 16 September 1897 | Bilot, India |
Robert Adams | Corps of Guides | Tirah Campaign | 17 August 1897 | Swat, India |
Hector MacLean | Corps of Guides | Tirah Campaign | 17 August 1897* | Swat, India |
Alexander Fincastle | 16th Lancers | Tirah Campaign | 17 August 1897 | Swat, India |
Henry Pennell | Sherwood Foresters | Tirah Campaign | 20 October 1897 | Dargai, India |
George Findlater | Gordon Highlanders | Tirah Campaign | 20 October 1897 | Dargai, India |
Edward Lawson | Gordon Highlanders | Tirah Campaign | 20 October 1897 | Dargai, India |
Samuel Vickery | Dorset Regiment | Tirah Campaign | 20 October 1897 | Dargai, India |
William Maillard | HMS Hazard | Occupation of Crete | 6 September 1898 | Crete, Greece |
John Mackenzie | Seaforth Highlanders | Third Ashanti Expedition | 6 June 1900 | Dompoassi, Ashanti |
Charles Melliss | Indian Staff Corps | Third Ashanti Expedition | 30 September 1900 | Obassa, Ashanti |
Lewis Halliday | Royal Marine Light Infantry | Boxer Rising | 24 June 1900 | Peking, China |
Basil Guy | Naval Brigade | Boxer Rising | 13 July 1900 | China |
78 Second Boer War recipients‡ | — | Second Boer War | 1899–1902 | — |
Alexander Cobbe | King's African Rifles | Second Somaliland Expedition | 6 October 1902 | Erego, Somaliland |
William Walker | 4th Gurkha Rifles | Third Somaliland Expedition | 22 April 1903 | Daratoleh, Somaliland |
John Gough | Rifle Brigade | Third Somaliland Expedition | 22 April 1903 | Daratoleh, Somaliland |
George Rolland | 1st Bombay Grenadiers | Third Somaliland Expedition | 22 April 1903 | Daratoleh, Somaliland |
Herbert Carter | Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry | Fourth Somaliland Expedition | 19 December 1903 | Jidballi, Somaliland |
Clement Smith | Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry | Fourth Somaliland Expedition | 10 January 1904 | Jidballi, Somaliland |
Wallace Wright | Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) | Kano-Sokoto Expedition | 26 February 1903 | Northern Nigeria |
John Grant | 8th Gurkha Rifles | Armed Mission to Tibet | 6 July 1904 | Gyantse Fortress |
627 First World War recipients‡[B] | — | First World War | 1914–1918 | — |
Augustus Agar | HM Coastal Motor Boat 4 | North Russia Relief Force | 17 June 1919 | Kronstadt, Russia |
Arthur Sullivan | Royal Fusiliers | North Russia Relief Force | 10 August 1919 | Sheika River, Russia |
Claude Dobson | HM Coastal Motor Boat 31 | North Russia Relief Force | 18 August 1919 | Kronstadt, Russia |
Gordon Steele | HM Coastal Motor Boat 88 | North Russia Relief Force | 18 August 1919 | Kronstadt, Russia |
Samuel Pearse | Royal Fusiliers | North Russia Relief Force | 29 August 1919* | Emtsa, Russia |
Henry Andrews | Indian Medical Service | Waziristan Campaign | 22 October 1919* | Khajuri, Waziristan |
William Kenny | 39th Garhwal Rifles | Waziristan Campaign | 2 January 1920* | Kot Kai, Waziristan |
Ishar Singh | 28th Punjab Regiment | Waziristan Campaign | 10 April 1921 | Haidari Kach, Waziristan |
George Henderson | Manchester Regiment | Arab Revolt | 24 July 1920* | Hillah, Mesopotamia |
Godfrey Meynell | 12th Frontier Force Regiment | Second Mohmand Campaign | 29 September 1935* | Mamund Valley, India |
181 Second World War recipients‡[C] | — | Second World War | 1939–1945 | — |
Kenneth Muir | Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders | Korean War | 23 September 1950* | Songju, Korea |
James Carne | Gloucestershire Regiment | Korean War | 22–23 April 1951 | Imjin River, Korea |
Philip Curtis | Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry | Korean War | 22–23 April 1951* | Imjin River, Korea |
Bill Speakman | Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) | Korean War | 4 November 1951 | Hill 217, Korea |
Rambahadur Limbu | 10th Gurkha Rifles | Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation | 21 November 1965 | Sarawak, Borneo |
Kevin Wheatley | Australian Army Training Team Vietnam | Vietnam War | 13 November 1965* | Tra Bong, Vietnam |
Peter Badcoe | Australian Army Training Team Vietnam | Vietnam War | 7 March 1967 7 April 1967* |
23 February 1967Huong Tra, Vietnam |
Ray Simpson | Australian Army Training Team Vietnam | Vietnam War | 6–11 May 1969 | Kon Tum province, Vietnam |
Keith Payne | Australian Army Training Team Vietnam | Vietnam War | 24 May 1969 | Ben Het, Vietnam |
Herbert Jones | Parachute Regiment | Falklands War | 28 May 1982* | Goose Green, Falkland Islands |
Ian McKay | Parachute Regiment | Falklands War | 12 June 1982* | Mount Longdon, Falkland Islands |
Johnson Beharry | Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment | Iraq War | 11 June 2004 |
1 May 2004Al-Amarah, Iraq |
Bryan Budd | Parachute Regiment | War in Afghanistan | 20 August 2006* |
27 July 2006Sangin, Afghanistan |
James Ashworth | Grenadier Guards | War in Afghanistan | 13 June 2012* | Nahiri Saraj District, Afghanistan |
Joshua Leakey | Parachute Regiment | War in Afghanistan | 22 August 2013 | Helmand Province, Afghanistan |