Take a bow, Charles Hazlitt Upham. The World War Two hero was, and remains, the only combatant to receive two Victoria Crosses. (The only other two people to have been awarded twice were medics rather than soldiers.)
Charles Upham
| Charles Hazlitt Upham |
|---|
| Years of service | 1939–45 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 20th Battalion, New Zealand 2nd Division |
| Battles/wars | Second World War Battle of Greece Battle of Crete North African Campaign First Battle of El Alamein |
(Campbell Mellis Douglas was one of these recipients.) Until 1921 the Victoria Cross could not be awarded to women, and to this day no VC has been awarded to members of that gender.
Recipients by nationality.
| Name | William Metcalf |
|---|
| Nationality | American |
|---|
| Date of action | 1918 |
|---|
| Unit | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
|---|
| Place of action | Arras, France |
|---|
Or standing rigidly to attention while British General Sir Claude Auchinleck was pinning a VC to his chest. Charles Upham receiving his VC from General Auchinleck, November 1941.
Owing to its rarity, the VC is highly prized and the medal has fetched over £400,000 at auctions. A number of public and private collections are devoted to the Victoria Cross. The private collection of Lord Ashcroft, amassed since 1986, contains over one-tenth of all VCs awarded.
One hundred Australians have been awarded the Victoria Cross: 96 were awarded the Victoria Cross under the Imperial honours system (before the Australian Government chose to introduce its own honours system in 1975) and four Australian Army soldiers have been awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia, which was
The Victoria Cross is the 'holy grail' for medal collectors because there are only 1,357 in existence. Bearing the inscription 'For valour' and known as a VC, this medal was first awarded for 'conspicuous bravery' in 1856 and later backdated to the Crimean war of 1854.
It requires an act of extreme bravery in the presence of the enemy, and has achieved almost mythical status, with recipients often revered as heroes. The National Army Museum holds 39 VCs, each accompanied by an inspiring tale of gallantry and daring.
CAN I WEAR MY FAMILY MEDALS? Did you know there are rules about wearing your family war medals? The rule is that war medals should only be worn on the left breast by the person upon whom they were conferred. Technically this honour remains with the individual and does not pass to a widow, parent or relative upon death.
A Victoria Cross has not been revoked since 1908, and revocations were banned between 1920 and 1991, when Australia's honours were separated from Britain. Up to 3,000 soldiers could lose of some of their medals, as the whole SAS is expected to be stripped of group citations earned in 2005-2016.
Collector Value: £1.20 is a mid-point price for Victoria Cross medal 50p coins marked as sold on eBay UK. The price range for a good condition circulated example of this 50p coin is between £1.04 and £1.25. Coin values based on 197 eBay sales selected from data collected 19/01/2021 19:49:30.
The Medal. The Victoria Cross takes the form of a Maltese cross shape medal made of bronze, the obverse of which has as its main feature the Royal Crown surmounted by a standing lion with a ribbon underneath bearing the motto For Valour.
“The sale harms the dignity and honor of all recipients of the Medal of Honor,†Cruz wrote in a letter addressed to US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo. Selling medals awarded by Congress is illegal in the United States and is punishable by fines of up to $100,000 and a year in jail.
The Victoria Cross was awarded 182 times to 181 recipients for action in the Second World War.
11 women have received the George Cross, four directly and seven after being changed from either the Albert Medal or Empire Gallantry Medal. The most recent woman to receive the GC was Barbara Harrison, an air stewardess who died rescuing passengers after an air crash at Heathrow in 1968.
John Plaster in his 1998 book SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam states that Howard "remains to this day the most highly decorated American soldier." Otero Barreto was highly decorated during Vietnam and is possibly the most decorated Puerto Rican veteran of the Vietnam War living today.
Since 1911 however, of the 16 VCs awarded to men serving with Gurkha regiments,
13 have been bestowed on native Gurkhas.
Recipients.
| Name | Bhanbhagta Gurung |
|---|
| Unit | 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles |
|---|
| Date of action | 1945 |
|---|
| Conflict | Second World War |
|---|
| Place of action | Snowdon East, Tamandu, Burma |
|---|
Eleven Victoria Crosses (VC) and five Distinguished Conduct Medals were awarded to survivors of Rorke's Drift. One of the VCs went to Corporal Christian Schiess (1856-84).
Individual awards
| Name | Rank (or Role) | Award |
|---|
| George John Adamson | Inspector | EGM |
| Thomas Edward Alder | Lance Sergeant | EGM |
| Thomas Hopper Alderson | Detachment Leader | GC |
| Yousef Hussein Ali Bey | Kaid | EGM |
Unless told otherwise, and always in public, military personnel should be addressed by their rank and last name. You should avoid addressing the officer or any Soldier just by rank (e.g., “Colonel,†“Lieutenant,†or “Sergeantâ€), as this is often considered rude.
Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor, songwriter, and rancher. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II.
| Audie Murphy |
|---|
| Birth name | Audie Leon Murphy |
| Born | 20 June 1925 Kingston, Texas, U.S. |
Middlesbrough-born Stanley Hollis, the only man to win a Victoria Cross (VC) on D-Day, should have been the most famous soldier of World War II – but his natural modesty got in the way!
The Victoria Cross is a Maltese Cross, cast in bronze from cannons captured during the Crimean War (1854-1856). The obverse of the Victoria Cross bears a crowned lion standing on a royal crown. The words 'FOR VALOUR' are inscribed on a semi-circular scroll beneath the crown.
Ian McKay
| Ian John McKay |
|---|
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Falklands War Battle of Mount Longdon †|
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Awarded Victoria Cross for action at Kontum province, Vietnam whilst serving with Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam as a Warrant Officer Class 2. Payne led his company to safety under heavy fire and organised the rescue of many wounded soldiers. Evacuated from Vietnam to Brisbane due to illness.
George Cross, a British civilian and military decoration, instituted in 1940 by King George VI for “acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger.†The award, which can be conferred posthumously, is usually given to civilians, although it can be bestowed on military
