The first citations of the VC, particularly those in the initial gazette of 24 February 1857, varied in the details of each action; some specify date ranges while some specify a single date. The original Royal Warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously.[5] Between 1897 and 1901, several notices were issued in the London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not "officially" awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six soldiers.[6] 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.[7][8] Three people have been awarded the VC and Bar, which is a medal for two actions; Noel Chavasse, Arthur Martin-Leake and Charles Upham.[9] Chavasse received both medals for actions in the First World War, while Martin-Leake was awarded his first VC for actions in the Second Boer War, and his second for actions during the First World War. 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.[10] The largest number awarded for actions on a single day was 24 on 16 November 1857, at the Second Relief of Lucknow, during the Indian Mutiny.[11] The largest number awarded for a single action was 18, for the assault on Sikandar Bagh, during the Second Relief of Lucknow. The largest number awarded to one unit during a single action was 7, to the 2nd/24th Foot, for the defence of Rorke's Drift (22–23 January 1879), during the Zulu War.[12]
Recipients |
Unit |
Campaign |
Dates |
Location |
000 a111 Crimean War recipients‡ |
000 a— |
Crimean WarCrimean War |
1854–18561854–1856 |
000 a— |
John Wood |
02020th Bombay Native Infantry |
Anglo-Persian War |
1856-08-099 August 1856 |
Bushire, Persia |
John Malcolmson |
0033rd Bombay Light Cavalry |
Anglo-Persian War |
1857-02-088 February 1857 |
Khoosh-ab, Persia |
Arthur Moore |
0033rd Bombay Light Cavalry |
Anglo-Persian War |
1858-02-078 February 1857 |
Khoosh-ab, Persia |
000.1182 Indian Mutiny recipients‡ |
000.1— |
Indian MutinyIndian Mutiny |
18581857–1859 |
000.1— |
Nathaniel Burslem |
06767th Regiment of Foot |
Third China War |
1860-08-2121 August 1860 |
Taku Forts, China |
John Chaplin |
06767th Regiment of Foot |
Third China War |
1860-08-2121 August 1860 |
Taku Forts, China |
Andrew Fitzgibbon |
06767th Regiment of Foot |
Third China War |
1860-08-2121 August 1860 |
Taku Forts, China |
Thomas Lane |
06767th Regiment of Foot |
Third China War |
1860-08-2121 August 1860 |
Taku Forts, China |
Edmund Lenon |
06767th Regiment of Foot |
Third China War |
1860-08-2121 August 1860 |
Taku Forts, China |
John McDougall |
04444th Regiment of Foot |
Third China War |
1860-08-2121 August 1860 |
Taku Forts, China |
Robert Rogers |
04444th Regiment of Foot |
Third China War |
1860-08-2121 August 1860 |
Taku Forts, China |
000.1515 New Zealand Land Wars recipients‡ |
000.15— |
New Zealand Land WarsNew Zealand Land Wars |
1860–18651860–1865 |
000.15— |
George Hinckley |
Naval Brigade |
Taiping Rebellion |
1862-10-099 October 1862 |
Fenghua, China |
George Fosbery |
0044th Bengal European Regiment |
Umbeyla Campaign |
1863-10-3030 October 1863 |
Crag Picquet, India |
Henry Pitcher |
0044th Punjab Infantry |
Umbeyla Campaign |
1863-10-3030 October 1863 |
Crag Picquet, India |
Duncan Boyes |
HMS Euryalus |
Bombardment of Shimonoseki |
1864-09-066 September 1864 |
Kanmon Straits, Japan |
Thomas Pride |
Royal Navy |
Bombardment of Shimonoseki |
1864-09-066 September 1864 |
Kanmon Straits, Japan |
William Seeley |
HMS Euryalus |
Bombardment of Shimonoseki |
1864-09-066 September 1864 |
Kanmon Straits, Japan |
James Dundas |
Bengal Engineers |
Bhutan War |
1865-04-3030 April 1865 |
Dewan-Giri, India |
William Trevor |
Bengal Engineers |
Bhutan War |
1865-04-3030 April 1865 |
Dewan-Giri, India |
Timothy O'Hea |
Rifle Brigade |
—[A] |
1866-06-099 June 1866 |
Danville, Quebec |
Samuel Hodge |
West India Regiment |
The Gambia |
1866-06-3030 June 1866 |
Tubabecelong, Gambia| |
David Bell |
02424th Regiment of Foot |
Andaman Islands Expedition |
1867-05-077 May 1867 |
Little Andaman |
Campbell Douglas |
02424th Regiment of Foot |
Andaman Islands Expedition |
1867-05-077 May 1867 |
Little Andaman |
James Cooper |
02424th Regiment of Foot |
Andaman Islands Expedition |
1867-05-077 May 1867 |
Little Andaman |
Thomas Murphy |
02424th Regiment of Foot |
Andaman Islands Expedition |
1867-05-077 May 1867 |
Little Andaman |
William Griffiths |
02424th Regiment of Foot |
Andaman Islands Expedition |
1867-05-077 May 1867 |
Little Andaman |
James Bergin |
03333rd Regiment of Foot |
Abyssinian War |
1868-04-1313 April 1868 |
Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia |
Michael Magner |
03333rd Regiment of Foot |
Abyssinian War |
1868-04-1313 April 1868 |
Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia |
Donald Macintyre |
0022nd Gurkha Rifles |
Looshai Expedition |
1872-01-044 January 1872 |
Lalgnoora, India |
Edric Gifford |
02424th Regiment of Foot |
First Ashanti Expedition |
1873–1874 |
Becquah, Ashanti |
Reginald Sartorius |
0066th Bengal Cavalry |
First Ashanti Expedition |
1874-01-1717 January 1874 |
Abogu, Ashanti |
Samuel McGaw |
04242nd Regiment of Foot |
First Ashanti Expedition |
1874-01-2121 January 1874 |
Amoaful, Ashanti |
Mark Bell |
Corps of Royal Engineers |
First Ashanti Expedition |
1874-02-044 February 1874 |
Ordashu, Ashanti |
George Channer |
Bengal Staff Corps |
Perak War |
1875-12-2020 December 1875 |
Malaya, Malaysia |
Andrew Scott |
Bengal Staff Corps |
Baluchistan |
1877-07-2626 July 1877 |
Quetta, India |
Hans Moore |
08888th Regiment of Foot |
9th Cape Frontier War |
1877-12-2929 December 1877 |
King William's Town, Cape Colony |
000.223 Zulu War recipients‡ |
000.2— |
Zulu WarZulu War |
18791879 |
000.2— |
000.316 Second Afghan War recipients‡ |
000.3— |
Second Afghan WarSecond Afghan War |
1878–18801878–1880 |
000.3— |
Peter Brown |
Cape Mounted Riflemen |
Basuto War |
1879-04-088 April 1879 |
Morosi's Mountain, South Africa |
Robert Scott |
Cape Mounted Riflemen |
Basuto War |
1879-04-088 April 1879 |
Morosi's Mountain, South Africa |
Edmund Hartley |
Cape Mounted Riflemen |
Basuto War |
1879-06-055 June 1879 |
Morosi's Mountain, South Africa |
Francis Fitzpatrick |
Connaught Rangers |
Basuto War |
1879-11-2828 November 1879 |
Sekukuni's Town, South Africa |
Thomas Flawn |
Connaught Rangers |
Basuto War |
1879-11-2828 November 1879 |
Sekukuni's Town, South Africa |
John McCrea |
0011st Cape Mounted Yeomanry |
Basuto War |
1881-01-1414 January 1881 |
Tweefontein, South Africa |
Richard Ridgeway |
Bengal Staff Corps |
Second Naga Hills Expedition |
1879-11-2222 November 1879 |
Konama, India |
John Danaher |
Nourse's Horse |
First Boer War |
1881-01-1616 January 1881 |
Elandsfontein, South Africa |
James Murray |
Connaught Rangers |
First Boer War |
1881-01-1616 January 1881 |
Elandsfontein, South Africa |
John Doogan |
0011st King's Dragoon Guards |
First Boer War |
1881-01-2828 January 1881 |
Laing's Nek, South Africa |
Alan Hill |
Northamptonshire Regiment |
First Boer War |
1881-01-2828 January 1881 |
Laing's Nek, South Africa |
James Osborne |
Northamptonshire Regiment |
First Boer War |
1881-02-2222 February 1881 |
Wesselstroom, South Africa |
Joseph Farmer |
Royal Army Medical Corps |
First Boer War |
1881-02-2727 February 1881 |
Majubu Hill, South Africa |
Israel Harding |
HMS Alexandra |
Occupation of Egypt |
1882-07-1111 July 1882 |
Alexandria, Egypt |
Frederick Corbett |
King's Royal Rifle Corps |
Occupation of Egypt |
1882-08-055 August 1882 |
Kafr Dowar, Egypt |
William Edwards |
Highland Light Infantry |
Occupation of Egypt |
1882-09-1313 September 1882 |
Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt |
William Marshall |
01919th Hussars |
Sudan Campaign |
1884-02-2929 February 1884 |
El Teb, Sudan |
Arthur Wilson |
HMS Hecla |
Sudan Campaign |
1884-02-2929 February 1884 |
El Teb, Sudan |
Thomas Edwards |
Black Watch |
Sudan Campaign |
1884-03-1313 March 1884 |
Tamai, Sudan |
Percival Marling |
King's Royal Rifle Corps |
Sudan Campaign |
1884-03-1313 March 1884 |
Tamai, Sudan |
Alfred Smith |
Royal Regiment of Artillery |
Sudan Campaign |
1885-01-1717 January 1885 |
Abu Klea, Sudan |
Thomas Byrne |
02121st Lancers |
Sudan Campaign |
1898-09-022 September 1898 |
Omdurman, Sudan |
Raymond De Montmorency |
02121st Lancers |
Sudan Campaign |
1898-09-022 September 1898 |
Omdurman, Sudan |
Paul Kenna |
02121st Lancers |
Sudan Campaign |
1898-09-022 September 1898 |
Omdurman, Sudan |
Nevill Smyth |
0022nd Dragoon Guards |
Sudan Campaign |
1898-09-022 September 1898 |
Omdurman, Sudan |
Alexander Hore-Rithven |
Highland Light Infantry |
Sudan Campaign |
1898-09-2222 September 1898 |
Gedarif, Sudan |
John Crimmin |
Bombay Medical Service |
British rule in Burma |
1889-01-011 January 1889 |
Karenni, Burma |
Ferdinand Le Quesne |
Royal Army Medical Corps |
British rule in Burma |
1889-05-044 May 1889 |
Tartan, Burma |
Charles Grant |
Indian Staff Corps |
Manipur Expedition |
1891-03-2121 March 1891 to
9 April 1891 |
Thobal, Burma |
Fenton Aylmer |
Corps of Royal Engineers |
Hunza-Naga Campaign |
1891-12-022 December 1891 |
Nilt Fort, India |
Guy Boisragon |
0055th Gurkha Rifles |
Hunza-Naga Campaign |
1891-12-022 December 1891 |
Nilt Fort, India |
John Smith |
0055th Gurkha Rifles |
Hunza-Naga Campaign |
1891-12-2020 December 1891 |
Nilt Fort, India |
William Gordon |
West India Regiment |
The Gambia |
1892-03-1313 March 1892 |
Toniataba, Gambia |
Owen Lloyd |
Royal Army Medical Corps |
Kachin Hills Expedition |
1893-01-066 January 1893 |
Fort Sima, Burma |
Harry Whitchurch |
Indian Medical Service |
Chitral Expedition |
1895-03-033 March 1895 |
Chitral Fort, India |
Herbert Henderson |
Bulawayo Field Force |
Matabeleland Rebellion |
1896-03-3030 March 1896 |
Bulawayo, Rhodesia |
Frank Baxter |
Bulawayo Field Force |
Matabeleland Rebellion |
1896-04-2222 April 1896* |
Umguza, Rhodesia |
Randolph Nesbitt |
Mashonaland Mounted Police |
Mashona Rebellion |
1896-06-1919 June 1896 |
Salisbury, Rhodesia |
Edmond Costello |
02222nd Punjab Infantry |
Siege of Malakand |
1897-07-2626 July 1897 |
Malakand, India |
James Colvin |
Corps of Royal Engineers |
Mohmand Campaign |
1897-09-1616 September 1897 |
Bilot, India |
James Smith |
Corps of Royal Engineers |
Mohmand Campaign |
1897-09-1616 September 1897 |
Bilot, India |
Thomas Watson |
Corps of Royal Engineers |
Mohmand Campaign |
1897-09-1616 September 1897 |
Bilot, India |
Robert Adams |
Corps of Guides |
Tirah Campaign |
1897-08-1717 August 1897 |
Swat, India |
Hector MacLean |
Corps of Guides |
Tirah Campaign |
1897-08-1717 August 1897* |
Swat, India |
Alexander Fincastle |
01616th Lancers |
Tirah Campaign |
1897-08-1717 August 1897 |
Swat, India |
Henry Pennell |
Sherwood Foresters |
Tirah Campaign |
1897-10-2020 October 1897 |
Dargai, India |
George Findlater |
Gordon Highlanders |
Tirah Campaign |
1897-10-2020 October 1897 |
Dargai, India |
Edward Lawson |
Gordon Highlanders |
Tirah Campaign |
1897-10-2020 October 1897 |
Dargai, India |
Samuel Vickery |
Dorset Regiment |
Tirah Campaign |
1897-10-2020 October 1897 |
Dargai, India |
William Maillard |
HMS Hazard |
Occupation of Crete |
1898-09-066 September 1898 |
Crete, Greece |
John Mackenzie |
Seaforth Highlanders |
Third Ashanti Expedition |
1900-06-066 June 1900 |
Dompoassi, Ashanti |
Charles Melliss |
Indian Staff Corps |
Third Ashanti Expedition |
1900-09-3030 September 1900 |
Obassa, Ashanti |
Lewis Halliday |
Royal Marine Light Infantry |
Boxer Rising |
1900-06-2424 June 1900 |
Peking, China |
Basil Guy |
Naval Brigade |
Boxer Rising |
1900-07-1313 July 1900 |
China |
000.478 Second Boer War recipients‡ |
000.4— |
Second Boer WarSecond Boer War |
1899–19021899–1902 |
000.4— |
Alexander Cobbe |
King's African Rifles |
Second Somaliland Expedition |
1902-10-066 October 1902 |
Erego, Somaliland |
William Walker |
0044th Gurkha Rifles |
Third Somaliland Expedition |
1903-04-2222 April 1903 |
Daratoleh, Somaliland |
John Gough |
Rifle Brigade |
Third Somaliland Expedition |
1903-04-2222 April 1903 |
Daratoleh, Somaliland |
George Rolland |
0011st Bombay Grenadiers |
Third Somaliland Expedition |
1903-04-2222 April 1903 |
Daratoleh, Somaliland |
Herbert Carter |
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry |
Fourth Somaliland Expedition |
1903-12-1919 December 1903 |
Jidballi, Somaliland |
Clement Smith |
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry |
Fourth Somaliland Expedition |
1904-01-1010 January 1904 |
Jidballi, Somaliland |
Wallace Wright |
0022nd Regiment of Foot |
Kano-Sokoto Expedition |
1903-02-2626 February 1903 |
Northern Nigeria |
John Grant |
0088th Gurkha Rifles |
Armed Mission to Tibet |
1904-07-066 July 1904 |
Gyantse Fortress |
000.5627 First World War recipients‡[B] |
000.5— |
First World WarFirst World War |
1914–19181914–1918 |
000.5— |
Augustus Agar |
HM Coastal Motor Boat 4 |
North Russia Relief Force |
1919-06-1717 June 1919 |
Kronstadt, Russia |
Arthur Sullivan |
Royal Fusiliers |
North Russia Relief Force |
1919-08-1010 August 1919 |
Sheika River, Russia |
Claude Dobson |
HM Coastal Motor Boat 31 |
North Russia Relief Force |
1919-08-1818 August 1919 |
Kronstadt, Russia |
Gordon Steele |
HM Coastal Motor Boat 88 |
North Russia Relief Force |
1919-08-1818 August 1919 |
Kronstadt, Russia |
Samuel Pearse |
Royal Fusiliers |
North Russia Relief Force |
1919-08-2929 August 1919* |
Emtsa, Russia |
Henry Andrews |
Indian Medical Service |
Waziristan Campaign |
1919-10-2222 October 1919* |
Khajuri, Waziristan |
William Kenny |
03939th Garhwal Rifles |
Waziristan Campaign |
1920-01-022 January 1920* |
Kot Kai, Waziristan |
Ishar Singh |
02828th Punjab Regiment |
Waziristan Campaign |
1921-04-1010 April 1921 |
Haidari Kach, Waziristan |
George Henderson |
Manchester Regiment |
Arab Revolt |
1920-07-2424 July 1920* |
Hillah, Mesopotamia |
Godfrey Meynell |
01212th Frontier Force Regiment |
Second Mohmand Campaign |
1935-09-2929 September 1935* |
Mamund Valley, India |
000.6181 Second World War recipients‡[C] |
000.6— |
Second World WarSecond World War |
1939–19451939–1945 |
000.6— |
Kenneth Muir |
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders |
Korean War |
1950-09-2323 September 1950* |
Songju, Korea |
James Carne |
Gloucestershire Regiment |
Korean War |
1950-04-2222–23 April 1951 |
Imjin River, Korea |
Philip Curtis |
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry |
Korean War |
1950-04-2222–23 April 1951* |
Imjin River, Korea |
Bill Speakman |
Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) |
Korean War |
1951-11-044 November 1951 |
Hill 217, Korea |
Rambahadur Limbu |
01010th Gurkha Rifles |
Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation |
1965-11-2121 November 1965 |
Sarawak, Borneo |
Kevin Wheatley |
Australian Army Training Team Vietnam |
Vietnam War |
1965-11-1313 November 1965* |
Tra Bong, Vietnam |
Peter Badcoe |
Australian Army Training Team Vietnam |
Vietnam War |
1967-02-2323 February 1967
7 March 1967
7 April 1967* |
Huong Tra, Vietnam |
Ray Simpson |
Australian Army Training Team Vietnam |
Vietnam War |
1969-05-066–11 May 1969 |
Kon Tum province, Vietnam |
Keith Payne |
Australian Army Training Team Vietnam |
Vietnam War |
1969-05-2424 May 1969 |
Ben Het, Vietnam |
Herbert Jones |
Parachute Regiment |
Falklands War |
1982-05-2828 May 1982* |
Goose Green, Falkland Islands |
Ian McKay |
Parachute Regiment |
Falklands War |
1982-06-1212 June 1982* |
Mount Longdon, Falkland Islands |
Johnson Beharry |
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment |
Iraq War |
2004-05-011 May 2004
11 June 2004 |
Al-Amarah, Iraq |
Bryan Budd |
Parachute Regiment |
War in Afghanistan |
2006-07-2727 July 2006
20 August 2006* |
Sangin, Afghanistan |
James Ashworth |
Grenadier Guards |
War in Afghanistan |
2012-06-1313 June 2012* |
Nahiri Saraj District, Afghanistan |
Joshua Leakey |
Parachute Regiment |
War in Afghanistan |
2013-08-2222 August 2013 |
Helmand Province, Afghanistan |