How many people have received the VC?
1,358 VCs
Since its inception in 1856, there have been 1,358 VCs awarded. This total includes three bars granted to soldiers who won a second VC and the cross awarded to the Unknown American soldier.
Who has received a Victoria Cross?
officially
The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to explicitly allow posthumous awards until 1920, but one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous….Recipients (A–F)
| Name | Thomas Barratt |
|---|---|
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | South Staffordshire Regiment |
| Campaign | First World War |
| Date of action | 27 July 1917* |
How many VC holders are still alive?
12 VC holders
Just 12 VC holders are still alive, each of whom also receives £1,495 a year. Today, in Westminster Abbey, the 150th anniversary of the medal’s creation is being marked, on what is in fact the 149th anniversary of the day Queen Victoria first presented it.
Has anyone ever been awarded the VC and GC?
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.
Has anyone received 2 Victoria Crosses?
Only 3 men have won two VC’s in the history of the medal. The double VC holders were Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake, Captain Noel Chavasse and Captain Charles Upham.
Who has 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.
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.
Do officers salute VC holders?
It is not statutory for “all ranks to salute a bearer of the Victoria Cross”: There is no official requirement that appears in the official warrant of the VC, nor in Queen’s Regulations and Orders, but tradition dictates that this occurs and, consequently, senior officers will salute a private awarded a VC or GC.
Do officers salute VC winners?
Has an American ever won the Victoria Cross?
(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 |
What is the rarest medal in the world?
The Victoria Cross
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 was the largest number of VCs won in one day?
The largest number of VCs won in a single day was 24 during the Second Relief of Lucknow (Indian Mutiny) on 16 November 1857. The VCs awarded to Crimean veterans were made retrospectively. This meant that there was much lobbying by individuals and regiments to receive the new decoration – most of which was unsuccessful.
Who was the largest number of recipients of the Victoria Cross?
Charles Upham received both VCs for actions during the Second World War . The Victoria Cross has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. The largest number of recipients for one campaign is the First World War, for which 628 medals were awarded to 627 recipients.
Who is the chairman of the VC and GC Association?
Pete succeeded Jim Beaton GC as the Chairman of the VC and GC Association in October 2014. Bill was born on 21st September 1927, and brought up in Altrincham, Cheshire.
How many VCs are in the National Army Museum?
The National Army Museum holds 39 VCs, each accompanied by an inspiring tale of gallantry and daring. The VC is Britain’s joint-highest award for gallantry. It was only equalled in status in 1940, when the George Cross (GC) was instituted for acts of conspicuous bravery not in the enemy’s presence. There is no barrier of colour, creed, sex or rank.