Navy lists > Monthly > 1939 > August

954
THE VICTORIA CROSS.
THE VICTORIA CROSS.
GEORGE It. AND I.
Whereas Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, by a
Warrant under Her Sign Manual dated 29th
January, 1856, did create a Naval and Military
Decoration to be styled and designated "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 Ordinances attaching
thereto.
And whereas the said Warrant and subsequent
Warrants before referred to, as also the Rules and
Ordinances affecting the same, were consolidated,
varied and extended bv a Warrant under Our Sign
Manual dated the 22nd day of May, 1920.
Now, therefore, We do hereby declare that the
Rules and Ordinances contained in Our said
Warrant, heretofore in force for the Goverance
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 Vic-
toria Cross," and shall consist of a Maltese Cross of
bronze with Our Royal Crest in the centre and
underneath it an escroll bearing this inscription :
•' For Valour."
Secondly. — It is ordained that the Cross shall be
suspended from the left breast by a red riband of
1 inch and a half in width, and on those occasions
when only the riband is worn a replica of the Cross
in miniature 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
daring or pre-eminent 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 sub-
ordinate Officers, hereinafter referred to as
Officers, Chief Petty Officers and Petty
Officers hereinafter referred to as Petty
Officers, men and boys hereinafter referred
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, De-
pendencies 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-Com-
missioned 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, Warrant 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 ;
(5) 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 tem-
porarily 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 recipient
of the Cross shall again perform such an act 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 bravery, an additional Bar
shall be added, and any such Bar or Bars may be
awarded posthumously. For every Bar awarded
a replica of the Cross in miniature shall be added
to the riband when worn alone.
Eighthly. — It is ordained that every recommen-
dation for the Award of the Decoration of the Cross
shall be made and reported through 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, and attestation
of the act as he may think requisite, and if he
approve he shall recommend the grant of the
Decoration to Our Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty, Our Principal Secretary of State for
War, or Our Principal Secretary of State for Air,
as the case may be, who shall submit to Us the
names of every one so recommended whom they
shall consider worthy ; in the case of there being
no British or Indian Officer, then the Political
Officer attached to the Force shall, after obtaining
conclusive proof of the act of bravery as far as
is possible if he approve, submit the recommenda-
tion to Us through the proper channels.
♦Ninthly. — It is ordained that in the event of
any unit of Our Naval, Military or Air Forces, con,
sisting in the case of Our Navy of a squadron
flotilla or ship's company, or of a detached body of
seamen or marines ; or in the case of Our Army of
a regiment, squadron, battery or company, or of a
detached body of soldiers ; or in the case of Our Air
Forces of a Squadron or other body of airmen,
having distinguished itself collectively by the per-
formance of an act of heroic gallantry or daring
in the presence of the enemy in such a way that the
Flag, General, Air or other Officer iu command of
the Force to which such an unit belougs, is unable
to single out any individual as specially pre-_
emineut in gallantry or daring, then one or more of
the personnel comprising the unit shall be selected
to be recommended to Us for the award of the
Victoria Cross in the following manner : —
(a) When the total personnel of the unit
does not exceed 100, then one officer shall be i
selected for the Decoration by the officers
engaged ; and in like manner one warrant j
officer or petty officer or non-commissioned '