Sixty Joyless De-Britished Uncrowned Commonpoor Years (1949-2009)

Elizabeth II Vice-Regal Saint: Remembering Paul Comtois (1895–1966), Lt.-Governor of Québec
Britannic Inheritance: Britain's proud legacy. What legacy will America leave?
English Debate: Daniel Hannan revels in making mince meat of Gordon Brown
Crazy Canucks: British MP banned from Canada on national security grounds
Happy St. Patrick's: Will Ireland ever return to the Commonwealth?
Voyage Through the Commonwealth: World cruise around the faded bits of pink.
No Queen for the Green: The Green Party of Canada votes to dispense with monarchy.
"Sir Edward Kennedy": The Queen has awarded the senator an honorary Knighthood.
President Obama: Hates Britain, but is keen to meet the Queen?
The Princess Royal: Princess Anne "outstanding" in Australia.
H.M.S. Victory: In 1744, 1000 sailors went down with a cargo of gold.
Queen's Commonwealth: Britain is letting the Commonwealth die.
Justice Kirby: His support for monarchy almost lost him appointment to High Court
Royal Military Academy: Sandhurst abolishes the Apostles' Creed.
Air Marshal Alec Maisner, R.I.P. Half Polish, half German and 100% British.
Cherie Blair: Not a vain, self regarding, shallow thinking viper after all.
Harry Potter: Celebrated rich kid thinks the Royals should not be celebrated
The Royal Jelly: A new king has been coronated, and his subjects are in a merry mood
Victoria Cross: Australian TROOPER MARK DONALDSON awarded the VC
Godless Buses: Royal Navy veteran, Ron Heather, refuses to drive his bus
Labour's Class War: To expunge those with the slightest pretensions to gentility
100 Top English Novels of All Time: The Essential Fictional Library
BIG BEN: Celebrating 150 Years of the Clock Tower

Friday 6 June 2008

The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross

The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) is the second highest military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces and is superceded by only the Victoria Cross. The CGC, which may be awarded posthumously, is awarded "in recognition of an act or acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy".

Insight%20jun08%20gallery%20quad1%20largeWarrant Officer Class 2 James Wadsworth, The Royal Logistic Corps, displays the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross presented to him for services in Iraq by The Queen at an Investiture at Buckingham Palace, 4 June 2008.

The CGC was instituted in the aftermath of the 1993 review of the honours system. As part of the drive to remove distinctions of rank in awards for bravery, the CGC replaced both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (Army) and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Air and Naval) as second level awards to Other Ranks and ratings. The CGC also replaced the Distinguished Service Order, in its role as an award to officers for gallantry (although the DSO was retained as an award for outstanding leadership). The CGC now serves as the second level award for gallantry for all ranks across the whole armed forces.

5 comments:

Palmerston said...

I believe the Distinguished Conduct Medal was replaced in Canada with the new Star of Military Valour, also in 1993. Frankly, I'm not sure which sounds better, though the Star of anything is a very Americanised sounding decoration. It would seem Canada just can't help from being Americanised.

Jeremy said...

Many congratulations to WO2 Wadsworth.

Speaking of Americanisation, however, isn't the CGC ribbon almost exactly like that of the American 'Silver Star' decoration?

Steven said...

Canada couldn't Americanise its decorations unless it gave everyone 5 medals a year just for existing or for being able to find the trigger on a rifle.

Anonymous said...

Frankly, I think it's more chivalric for the military to receive a cross than as star. The Cross means something. The star is what your first grade teacher sticks on your crayon pictures.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, our Vets with all of these WW2 campaign stars are so American looking....