Military Cross

For the Polish military award, see Order of the Military Cross and Military Cross (Poland).
Military Cross

Military Cross
Awarded by United Kingdom and Commonwealth
Type Military decoration
Eligibility British, (formerly) Commonwealth, and allied forces
Awarded for ... gallantry during active operations against the enemy.[1]
Status Currently awarded
Description Silver cross with straight arms, Royal Cypher in centre (obverse)
(reverse) plain
Statistics
Established 28 December 1914
First awarded 1 January 1915 to Lieutenant G. F. H. Brooke, 16th Lancers (Staff Captain).[2]
Total awarded George V: over 40,000
George VI: over 11,000
Elizabeth II: not published[3]
Distinct
recipients
over 48,000
Order of Wear
Next (higher) Distinguished Service Cross[4]
Next (lower) Distinguished Flying Cross[4]
Related Military Medal




Ribbon of the Military Cross; without, with bar, and with two bars

The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, formerly also awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.

The MC is granted in recognition of "an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land to all members, of any rank in Our Armed Forces".[5] In 1979, the Queen approved a proposal that a number of awards, including the Military Cross, could be awarded posthumously.[6]

History

The award was created on 28 December 1914[7] for commissioned officers of the substantive rank of Captain or below and for Warrant Officers. In August 1916, Bars were awarded to the MC in recognition of the performance of further acts of gallantry meriting the award[8] and recipients of a bar continue to use postnominal letters MC.[9] In 1931 the award was extended to Majors and also to members of the Royal Air Force for actions on the ground.

Since the 1993 review of the honours system, as part of the drive to remove distinctions of rank in awards for bravery, the Military Medal, formerly the third-level decoration for other ranks, has been discontinued. The MC now serves as the third-level award for gallantry on land for all ranks of the British Armed Forces.[10]

Description

Notable awards

Albert Jacka's MC and bar, gazetted in 1916
MC awarded to 2nd Lt. E. W. Fane de Salis (1894-1980).[11]

See also

Notes

  1. UK Defence FactSheet, accessed 28 June 2007.
  2. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29024. pp. 7–9. 29 December 1914.
  3. Mussell, John W. (2014). Medal Yearbook 2014. Honiton, Devon: Token Publishing. ISBN 978-1-908-828-11-8.
  4. 1 2 "JSP 761 Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces" (PDF). p. 12A-1. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  5. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56693. p. 11146. 17 October 2002.
  6. P E Abbott and J M A Tamplin; British Gallantry Awards, 1981, Nimrod Dix and Co, ISBN 0-902633-74-0, p. xx.
  7. Royal Warrant: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29024. p. 7. 29 December 1914.
  8. Clause 5 The Military Cross. Revisied Royal Warrant. The London Gazette: no. 29725. p. 8471. 25 August 1916.
  9. Clause 8 The Military Cross. Revisied Royal Warrant. The London Gazette: no. 29725. p. 8472. 25 August 1916.
  10. "Military Cross (MC)". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
  11. Given whilst serving with 1/8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (D.C.O.) or later when with K.R.R.C. (from 31.8.1915)
  12. 1 2 Scott Addington; For Conspicuous Gallantry... Winners of the Military Cross and Bar during the Great War. Volume 1 – Two Bars & Three Bars, Troubador Publishing Ltd, 2006, pp.343–352.
  13. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30901. p. 10877. 13 September 1918. Retrieved 17 March 2008. (Wallington)
  14. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31158. p. 1617. 31 January 1919. Retrieved 17 March 2008. (Bentley, Gilkes & Timms)
  15. Compton McKenzie (1951), Eastern Epic, Chatto & Windus, London, pp. 440–1.
  16. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 48346. p. 14608. 20 October 1980. (Westmacott)
  17. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58183. p. 17359. 15 December 2006. Retrieved 11 November 2007. (Norris)
  18. Wilkes, David (10 August 2006). "Heroine teenage soldier to be decorated for bravery". Daily Mail (UK: Associated Newspapers). ISSN 0307-7578. Retrieved 22 March 2007.
  19. Glendinning, Lee (22 March 2007). "Historic award for female private". The Guardian (UK: Guardian Media Group). p. 8. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 March 2007.
  20. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59182. p. 15640. 11 September 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2010. (Nesbitt)
  21. Evans, Michael (11 September 2009). "Kate Nesbitt is first woman in Royal Navy to receive Military Cross". The Times (London: Times Newspapers). Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  22. "First female Royal Navy medic awarded Military Cross". Daily Telegraph (London: Telegraph Media Group). 27 November 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2010.

Bibliography

External links

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