List of Victoria Cross recipients by nationality
This is a list of recipients of the Victoria Cross by nationality. This list does not include the Victoria Cross awarded to the American Unknown Soldier of World War I Tomb of the Unknowns, buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He was awarded the VC posthumously in 1921. This gesture reciprocated the award of the Medal of Honor to the British Unknown Warrior.
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 postnominals and medals. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and civilians under military command, and is presented to the recipient during an investiture by the British monarch. It is the joint highest award for bravery in the United Kingdom with the George Cross, which is the equivalent honour for valour not in the face of the enemy.[1] The VC has been awarded on 1356 occasions to 1353 individual recipients.
The original Royal Warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously. 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 officers and men.[2] 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.[3][4]
In 1867, the VC was extended to colonial troops acting under British command. The extension was made following a recommendation for gallantry regarding colonial soldier Major Charles Heaphy for action in the New Zealand land wars in 1864.[5] He was operating under British command and the VC was gazetted in 1867. Colonial troops were not eligible for the VC during the New Zealand land wars, so the New Zealand Cross (1869) was created.[6]
Indian troops were not originally eligible for the Victoria Cross since they had been eligible for the Indian Order of Merit since 1837 which was the oldest British gallantry award for general issue. When the Victoria Cross was created, Indian troops were still controlled by the East India Company and did not come under Crown control until 1860. European officers and men serving with the Honourable East India Company were not eligible for the Indian Order of Merit and the Victoria Cross was extended to cover them in October 1857. It was only at the end of the 19th Century that calls for Indian troops to be awarded the Victoria Cross intensified. Indian troops became eligible for the award in 1911. The first awards to Indian troops appeared in the London Gazette on 7 December 1914 to Darwan Sing Negi and Khudadad Khan. Negi was presented with the Victoria Cross by King George V during a visit to troops in France. The presentation occurred on 5 December 1914 and he is one of a very few soldiers presented with his award before it appeared in the London Gazette.[7] In 1904, Frederick Russell Burnham was to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour in Southern Africa, but Burnham declined rather than renounce his U.S. citizenship—a requirement at the time. Instead, he was awarded the British Army's second highest commendation, the Distinguished Service Order.
For a short time in the middle 1800s, the VC was awarded for actions taken not in the face of the enemy. Six were awarded at this time for actions taken not in the face of the enemy. (Campbell Mellis Douglas was one of these recipients.)
Several Commonwealth countries have now created their own award systems. Since 1991, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have created their own separate Victoria Crosses; the Victoria Cross for Canada, the Victoria Cross for Australia and the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. Only five of these separate medals have been awarded: Willie Apiata received the Victoria Cross for New Zealand on 26 July 2007; Mark Donaldson, Ben Roberts-Smith, Daniel Keighran and Cameron Baird have all been awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. All five awards were for actions in Afghanistan. As these are separate medals, they are not included in this list.
Recipients by nationality
- Rows highlighted in orange contain links to separate pages which contain the recipients of countries with over 75 recipients
- This along with the *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously
See also
Notes
- ^ "The world's most exclusive club". Ministry of Defence. 30 April 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
- ^ "No. 27986". The London Gazette. 15 January 1907.
- ^ Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp.68–90
- ^ "No. 31946". The London Gazette. 18 June 1920.
- ^ "Charles Heaphy biography". New Zealand Encyclopedia. 1966. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
- ^ "New Zealand Cross". New Zealand Encyclopedia. 1966. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
- ^ Crook, MJ, Chapter 11. pp 117–125
- ^ a b c d Also considered Canadian recipient.
Ricketts, Bruce. "American Victoria Cross recipients". Mysteries of Canada. Retrieved 26 January 2008. - ^ Zengel was American born, considered Canadian.
Bishop, Arthur (September 2005). "On The Offensive In 1918". Legionmagazine. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2008. - ^ "Biography: John Bythesea VC". Royal Naval Museum. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2007.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "SIXTH SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette Of TUESDAY, the 8th of JANUARY, 1918". The London Gazette (30471): 725. 11 January 1918.
- ^ "Second report of the Tynwald Honours Committee 2004/2005". June 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
- ^ Brown died in action three weeks after the action that led to his award.
Lintock, A.H. "Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2008. - ^ Charles Upham is one of only three people to have won the Victoria Cross twice.
Lintock, A.H. "Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2008. - ^ a b Newfoundlander recipients of the Victoria Cross are sometimes erroneously included with Canadian awards, as Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949.
"Memorial to fallen Newfoundland soldiers declared National Historic Site". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 9 April 1997. Retrieved 26 January 2008. - ^ Born in London
- ^ Commanding officer of 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at time
- ^ and Captain of HMS Hardy
- ^ Besly, Edward (3 February 2004). "A 'mystery' Victoria Cross and a stuffed parrot". National Museums & Galleries of Wales. Archived from the original on 27 May 2007.
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References
- "Victoria Cross Research page". Alfred J. Askin. Retrieved 28 November 2007.
- "Victoria Cross Registers". National Archives (UK). Retrieved 28 November 2007.
- Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross". An Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
- Sys, Ian. "Victoria Cross". Military History. 1 (7). South African Military History society. Archived from the original on 15 August 2007.
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