Army lists > Half-yearly Army lists 1923 - Feb 1950 (From 1947, annual, despite the name) > 1940 > Second half

1674
WARRANTS, REGULATIONS, ETC.
THE VICTORIA CROSS.
GEORGE, R.I.
George the Fifth, by the Grace of God, of
Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions
beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith,
Emperor of India ; to all to whom these Presents
shall come, Greeting 1
Whereas Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, by
a Warrant under Her Sign Manual dated the
29th day of January, 1856, did create a Naval
and Military Decoration to be styled and desig-
nated " The Victoria Cross," and did express
, Her desire that this Decoration should be highly
prized and eagerly sought after by the Officers
and Men of Her Naval and Military Services.
And whereas by divers subsequent Warrants
other Officers and Men were admitted to and
made eligible for the Decoration, and certain
amendments were made to the rules and ordi-
nances attaching thereto.
And whereas the said Warrant and subsequent
Warrants before referred to, as also the rules
and ordinances affecting the same, were con-
solidated, varied and extended by a Warrant
under Our Sign Manual dated the 22nd day
of May, 1920.
Now, therefore, We do hereby declare that
i the rules and ordinances contained in Our said
Warrant heretofore in force for the governance
of the said Decoration, shall be abrogated,
cancelled and annulled ; and in substitution
thereof We by these Presents, for Us, Our Heirs
and Successors, are graciously pleased to make,
ordain and establish the following rules and
ordinances for the governance of the same which
shall from henceforth be inviolably observed
and kept : —
Firstly : It is ordained that the distinction
shall as heretofore be styled and designated
" The Victoria Cross," and shall consist of a
Maltese Cross of bronze with Our Royal Crest
In the centre and underneath it an escroU
i bearing this inscription: "For Valour."
Secondly : It is ordained that the Cross shall
be suspended from the left breast by a red
riband of one inch and a half in width, and on
those occasions when only the riband is worn a
replica of the Cross in miniatm'e shall be affixed
to the centre of the riband.
Thirdly : It is ordained that the Cross shall
only be awarded for most conspicuous bravery or
some dariug or pre-pminent act of valour or
self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the
presence of the enemy.
Fourthly : It is ordained that the Cross may
be awarded posthumously.
Fifthly : It is ordained that the names of all
those persons upon or on account of whom We
may be pleased to confer or present the
Decoration shall be published in the London
Gazette, and a Register thereof kept in the
Office of Our Principal Secretary of State for
War.
Sixthly : It is ordained that : —
(1) Officers, Warrant Officers and subordinate
Officers hereinafter referred to as
Officers, Chief Petty Officers and Petty
Officers hereinafter referred to as Petty
Officers, men and boys hereinafter re-
ferred to as Seamen, serving in — (a) Our
Navy or in ships of any description for
the time being under Naval Command ;
(b) Our Indian Marine Service ; (c)
Navies or Marine Services of Our
Dominions, Colonies, Dependencies or
Protectorates ; and (d) Our Mercantile
Marine whilst serving under Naval,
Military or Air Force Authority, or who
in the course of their duties may become
subject to enemy action ;
(2) Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commis-
sioned Officers, men and boys hereinafter
referred to as Marines, serving in Our
Marines ;
(3) Officers, Warrant Officers, Classes I and II,
Non-Commissioned Officers, men and boys
hereinafter referred to as Privates, of all
ranks serving in Our Army. Our Army
Reserve, Our Territorial or other Forces,
and the Forces of Our Dominions,
Colonies, Dependencies or Protectorates ;
(4) Officers, M'^arrant Officers, Classes I and II,
Non-Commissioned Officers, and other
Airmen serving in Our Air Force, Our
Air Force Reserve, Our Auxiliary Air
Force, or the Air Forces of Our
Dominions, Colonies, Dependencies or
Protectorates ;
(,■)) British and Indian Officers and men of
all ranks of Our Indian Army, the
Imperial Service Troops of Native States
of India, or any other Forces there
serving under the command, guidance,
or direction of any British or Indian
Officer, or of a Political Officer attached
to such Forces on Our behalf, and
(6) Matrons, Sisters, Nurses and the Staff
of the Nursing Services and other
Services pertaining to Hospitals and
Nursing, and Civilians of either sex
serving regularly or temporarily under
the orders, direction or supervision of
any of the above mentioned Forces
shall be eligible for the Decoration of the Cross.
Seventhly : It is ordained that if any recipienp'
of the Cross shall again perform such an ^t
of bravery, as would have made him or her
eligible to receive the Cross, such further act
of bravery shall be recorded by a Bar to be
attached "to the riband by which the Cross Is
suspended, and for every such additional act of
bra^ery, an additional Bar shall be added, and
any s ueh Bar or Bars may be . awarded post-
humously. For every Bar awarded a replica of
the Cross in miniature shall be added to the
riband ^hen worn alone.
Eighthly : It is ordained that every recom-
mendation for the award of the Decoration of
the Cross shall be made and reported thjough
the usual channel to the Senior Naval, Military
or Air Force Officer Commanding the Force, who
shall call for such description, conclusive proof
as far as the circumstances of the case will
allow, ai\d attestation of the act as he may
think requisite, and if he approve he shall
recommend the grant of the Decoratiou to Our