The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award of the
United Kingdom honours system. It is awarded for
gallantry "
in the face of the enemy" to members of the British armed forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to
Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any
military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by
Queen Victoria in 1857, two thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the
British monarch. These investitures are usually held at
Buckingham Palace.
Background
Established in 1856, the Victoria Cross has been awarded to service personnel for extraordinary valour and devotion to duty while facing a hostile force. Between 1858 and 1881 the Victoria Cross could also be awarded for actions taken "under circumstances of extreme danger" not in the face of the enemy.[1] Six people were awarded Victoria Crosses under this clause – one
Irish man
in 1866 for actions taken during the
Fenian raids; five (a
Canadian, three
Irish and an
English man) for a single incident in 1867 during the
Andaman Islands Expedition. In 1881, VC regulations were amended to only allow acts "in the presence of the enemy".[1][2]
Since 1993,
Canadians have no longer been eligible for the Victoria Cross: that medal has been superseded by the
Canadian Victoria Cross – of equal honour, but yet to be awarded.[3] The scroll of the Canadian medal differs in that the inscription is in
Latin rather than English; by using a language that is an ancestor of French and has greatly contributed to the development of English, the medal avoids
linguistic discrimination between
Canada's two official languages. The fleur-de-lis, in heraldry long associated with the French crown has been added at the end each scroll. The actual metal of the medal is a distinct Canadian composition.[4]
Summary
The Victoria Cross has been presented to 99 Canadians, or people closely associated with Canada, between its creation for acts performed during the
Crimean War and 1993 when the
Canadian Victoria Cross was instituted. No Canadian has received either honour since 1945.[5]
Seventy-three Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians for their actions in the
First World War, and Canadians received sixteen VCs during the
Second World War. The remaining recipients were awarded the medal for actions performed in the
Crimean War (
Battle of Balaclava), the Indian Mutiny (the
Indian Rebellion of 1857), a native uprising at a remote Indian Ocean island during the Andaman Islands Expedition, the
Battle of Omdurman during the Sudan Campaign of 1896–1899, and the
Second Boer War.
Timothy O'Hea, a 23-year-old Irishman in the British army, fought a fire in a railway car containing 900 kilograms of ammunition stationed at
Danville, Quebec during the
Fenian raids.[8] O'Hea is the only VC recipient awarded for actions on Canadian soil.[9]
(This list is arranged alphabetically when first opened but the order can be changed to other criteria such as date of valourous action, by clicking in box at top of each column.)
Purple highlight with an asterisk *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously
^He was the last Canadian awarded the Victoria Cross for actions taken during WWI, His actions being made on 2 Nov. 1918, just nine days before the Armistice.
^
abcOne of three WWI Canadian VC recipients who lived on same block on Pine Street (now
Valour Road) in Winnipeg: Leo Clarke, Frederick Hall and Robert Shankland
^
abcdRecipients were Canadians, but were serving in other army units at the time of their VC act
^He was the first Canadian awarded the Victoria Cross for actions subsequent to
Canadian Confederation
^Although born in Ireland, was enlisted in the Canadian army and is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal, and Albertan because he was working in an Edmonton bank when he enlisted.
^Although a Danish citizen who enlisted in the Canadian army, he is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal. His sister was famed author Isak Dinesen/Karen Blixen.
^Awarded VC for actions taken not in the face of the enemy, one of only six awarded this way
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award of the
United Kingdom honours system. It is awarded for
gallantry "
in the face of the enemy" to members of the British armed forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to
Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any
military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by
Queen Victoria in 1857, two thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the
British monarch. These investitures are usually held at
Buckingham Palace.
Background
Established in 1856, the Victoria Cross has been awarded to service personnel for extraordinary valour and devotion to duty while facing a hostile force. Between 1858 and 1881 the Victoria Cross could also be awarded for actions taken "under circumstances of extreme danger" not in the face of the enemy.[1] Six people were awarded Victoria Crosses under this clause – one
Irish man
in 1866 for actions taken during the
Fenian raids; five (a
Canadian, three
Irish and an
English man) for a single incident in 1867 during the
Andaman Islands Expedition. In 1881, VC regulations were amended to only allow acts "in the presence of the enemy".[1][2]
Since 1993,
Canadians have no longer been eligible for the Victoria Cross: that medal has been superseded by the
Canadian Victoria Cross – of equal honour, but yet to be awarded.[3] The scroll of the Canadian medal differs in that the inscription is in
Latin rather than English; by using a language that is an ancestor of French and has greatly contributed to the development of English, the medal avoids
linguistic discrimination between
Canada's two official languages. The fleur-de-lis, in heraldry long associated with the French crown has been added at the end each scroll. The actual metal of the medal is a distinct Canadian composition.[4]
Summary
The Victoria Cross has been presented to 99 Canadians, or people closely associated with Canada, between its creation for acts performed during the
Crimean War and 1993 when the
Canadian Victoria Cross was instituted. No Canadian has received either honour since 1945.[5]
Seventy-three Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadians for their actions in the
First World War, and Canadians received sixteen VCs during the
Second World War. The remaining recipients were awarded the medal for actions performed in the
Crimean War (
Battle of Balaclava), the Indian Mutiny (the
Indian Rebellion of 1857), a native uprising at a remote Indian Ocean island during the Andaman Islands Expedition, the
Battle of Omdurman during the Sudan Campaign of 1896–1899, and the
Second Boer War.
Timothy O'Hea, a 23-year-old Irishman in the British army, fought a fire in a railway car containing 900 kilograms of ammunition stationed at
Danville, Quebec during the
Fenian raids.[8] O'Hea is the only VC recipient awarded for actions on Canadian soil.[9]
(This list is arranged alphabetically when first opened but the order can be changed to other criteria such as date of valourous action, by clicking in box at top of each column.)
Purple highlight with an asterisk *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously
^He was the last Canadian awarded the Victoria Cross for actions taken during WWI, His actions being made on 2 Nov. 1918, just nine days before the Armistice.
^
abcOne of three WWI Canadian VC recipients who lived on same block on Pine Street (now
Valour Road) in Winnipeg: Leo Clarke, Frederick Hall and Robert Shankland
^
abcdRecipients were Canadians, but were serving in other army units at the time of their VC act
^He was the first Canadian awarded the Victoria Cross for actions subsequent to
Canadian Confederation
^Although born in Ireland, was enlisted in the Canadian army and is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal, and Albertan because he was working in an Edmonton bank when he enlisted.
^Although a Danish citizen who enlisted in the Canadian army, he is considered Canadian at the time he won the medal. His sister was famed author Isak Dinesen/Karen Blixen.
^Awarded VC for actions taken not in the face of the enemy, one of only six awarded this way