George Cross (Gallambria)

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George Cross
Awarded by the Monarchy of Gallambria
TypeMilitary decoration
EligibilityPersons of any rank in the Naval, Military and Air Forces of Gallambria, its colonies or territories; members of the Merchant Navy; and civilians serving under the orders, directions or supervision of any of the above-mentioned forces or services.
Awarded for"... most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the face of the enemy."
StatusCurrently awarded.
ClaspsBars can be awarded for further acts of valour
Post-nominalsGC
Statistics
Established25 April 1895
First awarded19 June 1957
Last awarded2 February 1993
Total awarded56
Posthumous
awards
23
Distinct
recipients
54
Order of Wear
Next (higher)None
Next (lower)Edward Cross
George Cross Device.svg
George Cross Ribbon (Gallambria).svg

Ribbon Bar

The George Cross (GC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the Gallambrian honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of HM Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command. No civilian has received the award. The GC was instituted on 25 April 1858 by King George II to recognise acts of valour and self sacrifice. Since then the medal has been awarded 55 times to 54 individual recipients. Only 8 medals have been awarded since the Second Argic War.

Origin

In 1895, following a period of peace, Gallambria found itself at war with Salvia. The Peninsula War was one of the first wars where records were kept, and reports were sent to the various commanders of the armed forces of the time. It was noted by the King's Private Secretary of the time, Sir William Badcoe, that acts of bravery, valour and self-sacrifice by Gallambrian servicemen went without some form of recognition.

Before the Peninsula War, Gallambria had no established a standardised system of honours and awards, especially for awards to recognise gallantry with the Armed Forces. Officers were eligible for an award of one of the junior grades of the Order of St George and field promotions, while enlisted personnel were only eligible to receive a Mention in Despatches. While this system of recognition existed, it was abused by members of the Armed Force's high command. In practice, awards of the Order of St George were confined to officers of field rank, and field promotions or Mentions in Despatches were largely limited to those who were under the immediate notice of the commanders in the field, usually those who were member's of the commander's staff.

Following the end of the Peninsula War, Sir William Badcoe had collated 12 reports of specific acts of bravery and valour, and had suggested to the King that "... a medal should be presented to these men or their families, in recognition of their dedication to service and to honour their bravery and sacrifice." Members of the royal court, the Chief of the General Staff and other senior officers of the Army petitioned the King that a new award was needed to recognise such incidents of gallantry. Sir William and other members of court, also suggested that the award shouldn't be connected to the recipients length or merit of service. King George II issued a warrant under the royal sign-manual on 25 April 1895, that officially instituted the GC. The order was backdated to 1891 to recognise acts of valour and gallantry during the Peninsula War.

Manufacture

Captured Loyalist Force's cannon on display at the National War Memorial

The Royal Gallambrian Mint has been responsible for the production of every GC since its introduction.

The medal is cast from the bronze trunnions of three captured loyalist cannons following the Battle of Brecknock at the end of the Second Union War. As of 2022, 60 medals have been cast from this supply, with remaining supply to allow for a further 240 medals to be cast.

Appearance

Conferment

The George Cross is awarded for

... most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the face of the enemy.

A recommendation for the GC is normally issued by an officer at regimental level, or equivalent, and has to be supported by two witnesses. The recommendation is then passed up through the nominees chain of command until it reaches the Defence Honours and Awards Directorate. Upon further scrutinisation by the Directorate, the Secretary of State for Defence presents the recommendation to the monarch who then approves the award with their signature. George Cross awards are always promulgated in the Gallambrian Gazette. Although no specific provision exists as to who presents the award, it has been custom that the reinging monarch or member of the royal family presents the medal to the recipient or their next of kin.

The 1959 amendenment to the awards warrant, made provision for women serving in the Armed Forces eligible to receive the GC. One woman, Lance Corporal Bethany Gillam, was posthumously awarded the George Cross in 1992, for actions during the Marenesian Wars.

In the case of a gallant and daring act being performed by a unit, in which all men are deemed equally deserving of a George Cross, a recommendation for a collective award to be made. As of 2022, no collective awards have been invested.

Recipients

Guardsman Arthur Keating GC & Bar

At total of 56 George Crosses have been awarded wince 1895 to 54 recipients. Rifleman Prasad Hamal was the first Durkha to receive the award. Gunner William Trigg was the first living recipient of the award. The greatest number won in a single conflict is 15, being for the Salamite Rebellions. The greatest number won by a single unit during a single action is three, to the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, during the Second Argic War.

Two people have been awarded the GC and Bar, the bar representing a second award of the GC. They are Sergeant "G" of 1 Special Air Service Regiment, and Guardsman Arthur Keating of 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards.

Since the end of the Second Argic War, the GC has been awarded eight times; five in the Marenesian Wars, and three in the Sentist War.

  This along with a † indicates that the George Cross was awarded posthumously.
Name Rank Unit Campaign Date of action
"A" Sergeant 1 Special Air Service Regiment Sentist War 19 August 2020
Lance Corporal 1st Battalion, Royal Gallambrian Regiment Marenesian Wars 27 October 1991
"G" Singaller 21 (Special Operations) Signals Regiment Sentist War 18 February 2020
"F" Trooper 1 Special Air Service Regiment Sentist War 16 July 2020
Dean Richardson Corporal 6th/9th Battalion, Royal Gallambrian Regiment Marenesian Wars 4 February 1994†
Jonathon Cooper Lance Corporal 6th/9th Battalion, Royal Gallambrian Regiment Marenesian Wars 6 September 1991
Casey Phelps Serjeant 2nd Battalion, The Rifles Marenesian Wars 19 November 1991
Bethany Gillam Lance Corporal 40 Field Hospital Marenesian Wars 27 October 1991†
Sebastian Martin-Powell Lieutenant 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards Marenesian Wars 4 April 1994
Michael Oldham Sergeant Royal Mercian Yeomanry Second Argic War 12 November 1970
James Wood Trooper King's Dragoon Guards Second Argic War 2 August 1971†
Joseph Roberts Flight Lieutenant No. 3 Squadron RGAF Second Argic War 20 March 1970†
Thomas Ward Commander Special Boat Service Second Argic War 5 October 1973†
Lawrence Wright Sergeant 1st Battalion, Warwickshire Regiment Second Argic War 5 May 1971†
George Shaw Colour Sergeant 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards Second Argic War 11 August 1968
Peter Ashworth Lance Corporal 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards Second Argic War 11 August 1968
Thomas Esmonde Lance Sergeant 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards Second Argic War 11 August 1968
Claude Fegen Brevet Captain 1st Battalion, King's Own Cambrian Light Infantry Second Argic War 18 October 1972
William Cartwright Major Battagara Rifles, 1st Durkha Rifles Bashan-Qubdi War 21 June 1963†
Ibrahim Al-Mansoor Jundiun Awwal 3rd Battalion, King's Own Sharabic Rifles Bashan-Qubdi War 31 October 1963
Marzooq Tariq Jundiun 3rd Battalion, King's Own Sharabic Rifles Bashan-Qubdi War 29 August 1963
Betzalel Datz Samal Rishon Aroer Rifles, 2nd Bashan Light Infantry Bashan-Qubdi War 10 August 1963
Rafe Balsam Samal Aroer Rifles, 2nd Bashan Light Infantry Bashan-Qubdi War 17 September 1963
Ivrit Sayar Rav Turai Aroer Rifles, 2nd Bashan Light Infantry Bashan-Qubdi War 18 August 1963
Arthur Bissett Corporal 2nd Battalion, Royal Mercians Second Salamite Rebellion 14 June 1957
Thomas Beesley Lance Corporal 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wessex's Regiment Second Salamite Rebellion 7 March 1956
Donald Curry Rifleman 1st Battalion, The Rifles Second Salamite Rebellion 10 April 1957
Herbert Dougall Lance Corporal 1st Battalion, The Rifles Second Salamite Rebellion 28 September 1957
Maurice Blackman Sergeant 15 Queen's Own Royal Lancers Second Salamite Rebellion 23 June 1957†
John Collings Corporal 15 Queen's Own Royal Lancers Second Salamite Rebellion 4 August 1957†
William Cross Ordinary Seaman HMGS George IV Second Salamite Rebellion 24 April 1958
Patrick Carless Trooper 15 Queen's Own Royal Lancers Second Salamite Rebellion 6 January 1957†
Philip Birks Guardsman 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards Second Salamite Rebellion 17 February 1958†
Albert Beatham Major 4th Battalion, Princess Catherine's Royal Regiment Second Salamite Rebellion 3 January 1956
Prasad Hamal Rifleman Jutpandi Rifles, 5th Durkha Rifles First Salamite Rebellion 6 November 1953
Vinay Pun Lance Corporal Jutpandi Rifles, 5th Durkha Rifles First Salamite Rebellion 12 September 1954
Henry Clements Trooper 2 Light Horse Regiment (Mercian Mounted Infantry) First Salamite Rebellion 11 May 1954†
William Cosgrove Warrant Officer Class 2 King's Own Mallee & Loddon Borderers First Salamite Rebellion 28 July 1954†
Edward Forshaw Captain 1st Battalion, Royal Gallambrian Regiment First Salamite Rebellion 6 February 1954
Israel Hammond Lieutenant 2nd Battalion, Royal Mercian Fusiliers First Argic War 29 March 1953†
Arthur Keating Guardsman 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards First Argic War 10 June 1951
15 December 1949
George Lascelles Major 4th Battalion, Royal Cambrian Regiment First Argic War 21 June 1953†
Herbert Lyster Corporal 15 Light Horse Regiment (Mercian Mounted Infantry) First Argic War 27 October 1950
Eric Nicholls Private Duke of Caledon's Light Infantry First Argic War 6 June 1953
Robert Peel Captain Duke of Bosanquet's Regiment First Argic War 22 June 1951
Percy Ruthven Lance Corporal 7th Battalion, Royal Gallambrian Regiment First Argic War 26 February 1952†
Bikash Hamal Sergeant 17 Queen's Royal Lancers First Argic War 14 November 1949
Charles Hardman Rifleman 1st Battalion, The Rifles First Argic War 5 March 1950†
William Trigg Gunner 1 Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery First Argic War 12 September 1951
Leonard Howell Lieutenant Royal Mercian Dragoon Guards First Argic War 9 November 1950†
Robert Keysor Lance Corporal 1st Battalion, Warwickshire Regiment First Argic War 3 September 1951†
James Middleton Lieutenant 1st Infantry Battalion GEMF Bashan War 9 May 1908†
Howard Throssell Sub Lieutenant Shore Artillery Party Bashan War 14 July 1908†
Charles McNamara Captain 1st Infantry Battalion GEMF Bashan War 5 June 1908†
Reginald Borella Sergeant 5th Infantry Battalion GEMF Bashan War 3 August 1908†

See also

  • Edward Cross, an equivalent award for acts of valour not in the face of the enemy.
  • Cross of Valour, an equivalent award for acts of valour or gallantry, by a Gallambrian subject.