George Cross: Facts & Statistics, Matters of Interest and some Questions and Answers
Institution: The GC was instituted by Royal Warrant on the 24 September 1940
Design: The GC was designed by Mr Percy Metcalfe CVO RDI (1895-1970). He was also responsible for the crowned head of King George VI used on the George Medal and the 1939-45 War Medal.
Manufacture: The GC is made of silver and struck by the Royal Mint
Ribbon: The ribbon is 38mm wide and the colour is officially described as 'dark blue'
Suspension: By a straight silver bar, slotted for the ribbon, with a ring lug below. The front of the bar is ornamented with laurel leaves
Obverse: A central medallion showing St George and the Dragon surrounded by a circular band inscribed "For Gallantry" with the Royal cypher "GVI" across the angle between each limb of the cross. The central Saint George and the dragon scene is based on the work of Benedetto Pisttucci (1784-1855), and has appeared on several British coins.
Reverse: Blank with the recipient's title or rank, full name, and where appropriate, unit, are inscribed on the reverse of the cross together with the appropriate London Gazette date.
First Award: Mr Thomas Alderson, Detachment Leader, ARP, Bridlington, Yorkshire (London Gazette, 30 September 1940)
First Investiture: The first investiture of the GC took place on the 24 May 1941 at Buckingham Palace. Appropriately the recipients represented the three armed services as well as the civilian services. HM King George VI presented the decoration firstly to Mr. Thomas Alderson, to whom he said "You are the first recipient of the George Cross. It gives me very great pleasure to hand it to you."
The other recipients that day were Lt Cdr Robert Armitage of the RNVR, Maj Herbert Barefoot of the Corps of Royal Engineers and Wg Cdr Laurence Sinclair of the RAF.
First Overseas award: Lt John Patton, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers for Bomb disposal work on the 21 September 1940, at Weybridge, Surrey. (LG, 17 December 1940)
Latest Award: Lc/Cpl Matthew Croucher
Youngest Direct Recipients: Mr John Bamford, 15 years and 7 months, Newthorpe, Nottinghamshire, 19 October 1952 (LG, 16 December 1952); Chris Finney 18, Miss Barbara Harrison, 22 years and 10 months, Heathrow, London, 8 April 1968 (LG, 8 August 1969)
Youngest Direct Overseas Recipient: Leading Aircraftman Karl Gravell, Royal Canadian Air Force, who was 19 years and one month when he was killed in his GC action in November 1941 (LG, 11 June 1942)
Youngest Indirect Recipients: Mr David Western, (Albert Medal) 10 years and 10 months, Osterley Park, London, 17 February 1948 (LG, 13 August 1948); Miss Doreen Ashburnham, (Albert Medal) 11 years and 4 months, Vancouver Island, Canada, 23 September 1916 (LG, 21 December 1917)
Oldest Direct Recipient: Lt. William Foster, Home Guard, 61 years, Salisbury, Wiltshire, 13 September 1942 (LG, 27 November 1942)
Oldest Direct Overseas Recipient: Mr. Errol Emanuel, District Commissioner, East New Britain District, Papua New Guinea, who was 52 years and eight months when he was killed in his GC action in August 1971 (LG, 1 February 1972)
Oldest Indirect Recipient: Capt. Alfred Morris, Mill Foreman, Ashanti, Gold Coast, 29 May 1923 (LG, 4 July 1924) was 90 years and 3 months old at the time of the AM & EM exchanges in 1971
Longest Lived Recipient: Cdr Alfred Newman, Royal Navy, 10 October 1917 (LG, 1 March 1918) was 96 years and 4 months old when he died on 1 September 1984
Longest Held Award: Capt. Frank Naughton, Royal Tank Corps, 5 August 1936 (LG, 1 February 1937) became a recipient of the GC in 1940 and died in 2004, therefore he held the decoration for 63 years. Interestingly Capt Naughton was not invested with the GC until 1947, therefore Col Stuart Archer (LG, 30 September 1941) has physically held the GC longer being invested in 1941.
Shortest Held Award: Plt Off Gerald Close, RAF, 13th April 1937 (LG, 21 December 1937) became a recipient of the GC through the EGM exchanges in September 1940. Sadly he was killed flying over France on the 9th May 1941; therefore he held the decoration for just seven months.
Earliest Direct Award: The earliest deed for which the GC was directly awarded took place on the 11 February 1940 at Immingham Dock, North Lincolnshire. The GC was awarded to Mr Leonard Harrison and Flt Lt John Dowland. (LG, 3 & 7 January 1941 respectively)
Earliest Indirect Award: The earliest act of gallantry for which the GC was indirectly awarded took place on the 27 November 1908 in a dry dock in Jarrow. Mr Thomas McCormack was subsequently awarded the Albert Medal. (LG, 23 July 1909)
Most GCs awarded for one incident: Ten GCs were indirectly awarded for rescue work in the aftermath of the earthquake in Quetta, Baluchistan, India on the 31st May 1935. Seven recipients of the Empire Gallantry Medal and three Albert Medallists became holders of the GC in 1940 and 1971 respectively.
First GC Approved by Queen Elizabeth II: Mr George Taylor, Vulcanologist, Papua New Guinea, 18 January 1951 (LG, 22 April 1952)
Second Awards: No second award or Bar to a GC has yet been awarded
Awards to Women: Women have always been eligible for the GC, and the following have received the direct award.
Lt Odette Sansom MBE (later Mrs Hallowes), Women's Transport Service (FANY) SOE, October 1942 to May 1945. She was the first to receive the award.
Ensign Violette Szabo, WTS (FANY) SOE, April 1944-February 1945
Assistant Section Officer Noor Inayat-Khan, WAAF/SOE, 16 June 1943 to 12 September 1944
Miss Barbara Harrison, Air Stewardess, BOAC, Heathrow Airport, 8 April 1968
The following awards were translated from the Empire Gallantry Medal in 1940.
Miss Emma Townsend, Attempted Rescue, Cottage Hospital, Kingsbridge, Devon, 6 September 1932
Miss Dorothy Thomas, Nursing Sister, Middlesex Hospital, London, 26 January 1934
Ashraf-un-Nisa (The Begum of Hydrabad), Hydrabad, 14 June 1935
Corporal (later Section Officer) Daphne Pearson, WAAF, Detling, Kent 31 May 1940
The following awards were translated from the Albert Medal in 1971.
Miss Hilda Wolsey, Nurse, Hanwell, London, 11 June 1910
Miss Doreen Ashburnham, (later Mrs Ashburnham-Ruffner), Schoolgirl, Vancouver Island, Canada, 23 September 1916
Miss Harriet Fraser, (later Mrs Barry), Staff Nurse TFNS, 31 January 1919
Miss Florence Allen, (later Mrs Allen), Nurse, Quetta, India 31 May 1935
Miss Margaret Vaughan, (later Mrs Purves), Schoolgirl, Sully Island, Glamorgan, 28 May 1949
Total GCs awarded including exchanges: The total number of awards to date is 404.
By direct award (Posthumous) 86 By direct award (Surviving) 74 (Includes Malta and the RUC) Eligible Empire Gallantry Medallists 112 (Includes 4 Next-of-kin) Eligible Albert Medallists 65 (Only 49 were actually exchanged) Eligible Edward Medallists 68 (Only 59 were actually exchanged)
The distribution of these awards in terms of the recipients' affiliation, job or service is broadly as follows, These numbers do not add up to the total!
Military: Army (74), Naval Services (67), Air Force Services (41), Agents (6), POWs (13)
Civilian Services: Police, Prison, Fire, Civil Defence, RNLI and Other Rescue (36)
Civilian Workers: Miners(46), Railwaymen (7), Other workmen, nurses etc. (62)
Overseas awards: Australia (21), New Zealand (4), Canada (11), Other (32)
Awards of George Cross and George Medal: A total of eight people have been awarded both the GC and GM. Of these recipients, two have been awarded the GM twice.
Lt Cdr Robert Armitage, RNVR, Bomb disposal
Lt Cdr John Bridge GM and Bar, RNVR, Bomb disposal
Mr Richard Bywater The only civilian to have this rare distinction.
Cdr Ernest Gidden OBE, RNVR, Bomb disposal
Lt Cdr Leon Goldsworthy DSC, RANVR, Bomb disposal
Lt Cdr John Mould, RANVR, Bomb disposal
Lt Hugh Syme GM and Bar, RANVR, Bomb disposal
Cdr Geoffrey Turner, RNVR, Bomb disposal
Awards to brothers: There is one instance of the GC being awarded to brothers.
Messrs. David and Samuel Booker who were originally awarded the Edward Medal for rescue work in Littleton Colliery, South Staffordshire on the 14 May 1937.
There is one instance of the GC and VC being awarded to brothers.
Maj Hugh Seagrim DSO MBE, 19 Hyderabad Regiment, Indian Army and SOE, was awarded a posthumous GC for his work behind the Japanese lines in Burma, February 1943 to February 1944
Lt Col Derek Seagrim, 7th Battalion, The Howards was awarded a posthumous VC in North Africa, 20/21 March 1943
Annual annuity: There was no provision for the payment of any annuity contained in the original Warrant. However, from 4 February 1965 living holders of the GC were granted a tax-free annuity of £100. The figure remained unchanged until 15 August 1995 when it was raised to £1,300. This was further increased to £1,495 from 1 April 2002.
Additionally some Commonwealth Governments pay annuities to GC holders.
Living GC recipients: There are presently 20 living recipients. (Go to page)
GCs on Public Display: The Imperial War Museum: The Victoria Cross & George Cross Gallery at London's Imperial War Museum contains a good cross-section of GC awards. There are also GCs in many other Museums around the country.
Some Questions
Q - Where can I find out how medals are awarded?
A - Try this site http://www.army.mod.uk/servingsoldier/honours_and_awards/criteria_for_awards.htm
Q - How can I contact the GC Association?
A - Write to VC & GC Association, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AX
Some Abbreviations
Please note that the Bold character is for ease of reading.
2nd Lt Second Lieutenant
A/Cdre Air Commodore - 1 star rank (equivalent to Brigadier and Commodore)
ACM Air Chief Marshal - 4 star rank (equivalent to General and Admiral)
Adm Admiral
AFC Air Force Cross
AFM Air Force Medal
AHQ Air Headquarters
AM Albert Medal
AM Air Marshal - 3 star rank (equivalent to Lieutenant General and Vice Admiral)
AOC Air Officer Commanding
AOC in C Air Officer Commanding in Chief
AVM Air Vice-Marshal - 2 star rank (equivalent to Major General and Rear Admiral)
BEM British Empire Medal
Capt Captain
CARO Canadian Army Routine Orders
CBE Commander of the Order of the British Empire
CD Canadian Forces' Decoration
Cdr Commander
Cdre Commodore
Col Colonel
CVO Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal
DFC Distinguished Flying Cross
DFM Distinguished Flying Medal
DSC Distinguished Service Cross
DSM Distinguished Service Medal
DSO Distinguished Service Order
EM Edward Medal
ERD Emergency Reserve Decoration
EGM Empire Gallantry Medal
Fg Off Flying Officer (equivalent to Lieutenant in the Army and Sub-Lieutenant in the Navy)
Flt Flight (a sub division of a Squadron)
Flt Cdr Flight Commander
Flt Lt Flight Lieutenant (equivalent to Captain in the Army and Lieutenant in the Navy)
Gen General
GOC General Officer Commanding
Gp Capt Group Captain (equivalent to Colonel in the Army and Captain in the Navy)
HQ Headquarters
IOM Indian Order of Merit
KBE Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
KCB Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath
KCVO Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Lt Lieutenant
Lt Cdr Lieutenant Commander
Lt Col Lieutenant Colonel
Lt Gen Lieutenant General
Maj Major
Maj Gen Major General
Mid'n Midshipman
MBE Member of the Order of the British Empire
MC Military Cross
MM Military Medal
MRAF Marshal of the RAF - 5 star rank (equivalent to Field Marshal and Admiral of the Fleet)
MSM Meritorious Service Medal
MVO Member of the Royal Victorian Order
OBE Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Plt Off Pilot Officer (equivalent to 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, no equivalent in the Navy)
R Adm Rear Admiral
RD Royal Naval Reserve Decoration
RFC Royal Flying Corps
RNAS Royal Naval Air Service
SASO Senior Air Staff Officer
SGM Sea Gallantry Medal
Sqn Squadron
Sqn Cdr Squadron Commander
Sqn Ldr Squadron Leader (equivalent to Major in the Army and Lieutenant Commander in the Navy)
V Adm Vice Admiral
Wg Cdr Wing Commander (equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel in the Army and Commander in the Navy)
(WS) War Substantive