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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.
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