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How do you get a Victoria Cross medal?
The Victoria Cross is the premier Operational Gallantry award given for ‘most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy’.
What is the rarest medal in the world?
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.
What is a GC medal?
George Medal and Queen’s Gallantry Medal. The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the UK honours system, the George Cross is equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest military gallantry award.
How many VC’s have been awarded?
1,358
The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. Since then, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients….
| Victoria Cross | |
|---|---|
| First awarded | 26 June 1857 |
| Last awarded | 26 February 2015 |
| Total | 1,358 |
| Total recipients | 1,355 |
Who is entitled to jubilee medals?
Those who will receive a medal include serving members of the Armed Forces who have completed five full calendar years of service by 6 February 2022 and members of frontline emergency services, whether paid or voluntary, who have completed the same half-decade of service by the anniversary of the Queen’s accession.
Has anyone won the VC twice?
Only three men have been awarded two Victoria Crosses for bravery since the awards inception in 1857. The double VC winners included Captain Charles Upham, Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake and Captain Noel Chavasse. Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake was a British double recipient of the Victoria Cross.
Has a woman ever won the VC?
Elizabeth Webber Harris (1834–1917) was an English nurse who was awarded a replica Victoria Cross (VC) in 1869, with the permission of Queen Victoria, for her bravery during a cholera outbreak in India. She remains the only woman to be awarded a VC of any description.
Can you look up medals A veteran was awarded?
Individuals can request information on military service medals, decorations and awards online: https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/awards-and-decorations.
How do I get a replacement medal from the military?
Replacing Military Medals. Medals awarded while in active service are issued by the individual military services if requested by Veterans or their next of kin. Requests for replacement medals, decorations, and awards should be directed to the branch of the military in which the Veteran served.
How do I Find my Father’s Military Medals?
The best thing to do is to request your father’s military service records from the National Archives. His service records should include a list of the medals and decorations he earned. You can then purchase authentic military medals from authorized retailers as described in the article.
What happens if you lose a Military Medal?
Replacing Lost Military Medals and Decorations The military recognizes that military medals are often a cherished part of family history and makes replacement medals, decorations, and awards available to veterans or their next of kin if the veteran is no longer living or able to make the request on his or her own behalf.
Can a next-of-kin request a replacement medal?
This includes family members with the signed authorization of the veteran. For the Next-of-Kin: the process (and cost) for replacement medals requests differs among the service branches and is dependent upon who is requesting the medal, particularly if the request involves an archival record.