Conspicuous Gallantry Cross

The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) is a second level military decoration of the British Armed Forces. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system to remove distinctions of rank in the awarding of gallantry decorations. The Victoria Cross is the only higher combat gallantry award presented by the United Kingdom.[4]

Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
Obverse of the medal. Ribbon: 32 mm, white with blue edges and a red central stripe
Awarded by Monarch of the United Kingdom
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Type	Military decoration
Eligibility	British and allied forces
Awarded for	... an act or acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy.[1]
Status	Currently awarded
Description	36mm max width; silver cross patée imposed on a wreath of laurel, with the Royal Crown in a circular panel in the centre. Suspended by a ring from a plain suspension bar
Statistics
Established	October 1993
First awarded	1995
Total awarded	61 including one unit award
Posthumous awards	3
Order of Wear
Next (higher)	Member of the Order of the British Empire[2]
Next (lower)	Royal Red Cross, First Class[2][3]
CGC ribbon bar

History

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 (Naval and Air) as second level awards to other ranks and ratings. The CGC also replaced the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), in its role as an award to officers for gallantry. 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.

Eligibility

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". All ranks of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army, and Royal Air Force may be awarded the CGC in recognition of qualifying acts of gallantry.[4] Bars are awarded to the CGC in recognition of the performance of further acts of gallantry meriting the award. When the ribbon bar alone is worn, a silver rosette on the ribbon indicates the award of a bar.[5] Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters CGC.[6]

Appearance

The CGC (left) as worn on a dress uniform with campaign medals. The medals shown are those awarded to Lance Corporal of Horse Andrew Radford, CGC.

The medal is in the shape of a cross pattée in silver. Arranged behind the cross, visible between the arms is a laurel wreath. On the obverse of the medal, the circular medallion in the centre depicts St. Edward's crown. The reverse is plain which allows room for the engraving of the rank, name, and unit of its recipient. The award date is also engraved on the reverse of the medal. The medal is suspended by a white ribbon with two narrow dark blue stripes at the edge and one centre stripe in crimson.[4]

Recipients

To date, there have been about 60 awards of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, including three posthumous and one unit award. No second award bars have been awarded.
The following is a full list of recipients who have been Gazetted to date.

Name	Rank	Service	Date award announced	Place
Mills, Wayne[7]	Corporal	Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)	9 May 1995	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Humphreys, Peter[8]	Colour Sergeant	Royal Welch Fusiliers	9 May 1996	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Baycroft, John David, MBE[9]	Colour Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	6 April 2001	Sierra Leone (Operation Barras)
MacFarlane, Iain James McKechnie[10]	Squadron Leader	Royal Air Force	6 April 2001	Sierra Leone (Operation Barras)
Day, Tony Kenneth[11]	Corporal	Royal Marines	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Merchant, Jeremy Mark[11]	Captain	Royal Marines	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Hearne, Karl Anthony[9]	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Sanders, Edward Lawrence[11]	Private	Parachute Regiment	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Thomas, Justin Royston[12]	Marine	Royal Marines	31 October 2003	Iraq
Flynn, Michael John[12]	Lance Corporal of Horse	Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons)	31 October 2003	Iraq
Jardine, Shaun Garry[13]	Corporal	King's Own Scottish Borderers	23 April 2004	Iraq
Robertson, Gordon[13]	Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	23 April 2004	Iraq
Greensmith, Benjamin Paul[14]	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	7 March 2008	Iraq
Broome, Christopher Mark[15]	Sergeant	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)	18 March 2005	Iraq
Bryan, Terry[15]	Sergeant	Royal Artillery	18 March 2005	Iraq
Thomson, Terence Alan[15]	Corporal	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)	18 March 2005	Iraq
Tomlinson, Matthew Robert[16]	Colour Sergeant	Royal Marines	24 March 2006	Iraq
Radford, Andrew[17]	Lance Corporal of Horse	Life Guards	14 December 2006	Afghanistan
Collins, John[18]	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	14 December 2006	Iraq
Harkess, James Royce[18]	Colour Sergeant	Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)	14 December 2006	Iraq
Farmer, Hugo[17]	Lieutenant	Parachute Regiment	14 December 2006	Afghanistan
Illingworth, Timothy[17]	Acting Captain	Light Infantry	14 December 2006	Afghanistan
Unit award[19]		Royal Irish Regiment/Ulster Defence Regiment	19 December 2006	Northern Ireland
Thompson, John Thomas[20]	Corporal	Royal Marines	19 July 2007	Afghanistan
Hollingsworth, Jonathan Stuart,[21] QGM	Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	19 July 2007	Iraq (posthumous)
Campbell, Donald Peter[22]	Acting Corporal	Royal Engineers	7 March 2008	Afghanistan
Cupples, Simon Timothy[22]	Lieutenant	Mercian Regiment	7 March 2008	Afghanistan
Willmott, Paul Darren[22]	Private	Mercian Regiment	7 March 2008	Afghanistan
Miller, Adam William[23]	Corporal	Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers	7 March 2008	Iraq
Wadsworth, James Anthony[23]	Staff Sergeant	Royal Logistic Corps	7 March 2008	Iraq
McClurg, Robert William Kerr[24]	Corporal	Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)	6 March 2009	Afghanistan
Stevens, Alwyn John[24]	Acting Sergeant	Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)	6 March 2009	Afghanistan
Toge, Jone Bruce[24]	Lance Corporal	Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)	6 March 2009	Afghanistan
Durber, Leonard John[25]	Colour Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	6 March 2009	Iraq
Malone, Bradley[26]	Acting Corporal	Royal Marines	11 September 2009	Afghanistan
Nethery, Steven[27]	Marine	Royal Marines	11 September 2009	Afghanistan
Dennis, Alan Gordon[28]	Sergeant	Mercian Regiment	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Gadsby, Stephen William[28]	Gunner	Royal Artillery	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Giles, Marc Kevin[28]	Sergeant	Mercian Regiment	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Moncho, Jaime[28]	Sergeant[29]	The Rifles	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Prout, Gary[28]	Lance Bombardier	Royal Artillery	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Smith, Kyle Patrick[28]	Lance Corporal	Mercian Regiment	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Turner, Robert[30]	Sergeant	Royal Marines	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
Bourne-Taylor, Robin Edwin Geoffrey[30]	Captain	Life Guards	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
Brownson, Lee[30]	Corporal	The Rifles	24 September 2010	Afghanistan (posthumous)
Horn, Graham Stuart[30]	Lance Corporal	Parachute Regiment	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
McKie, James Lee[30]	Lance Corporal	The Rifles	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
Pun, Dip Prasad[31]	Acting Sergeant	Royal Gurkha Rifles	25 March 2011	Afghanistan
Jackson, Mark Anthony[31]	Marine	Royal Marines	25 March 2011	Afghanistan
Stephens, Seth Vincent Scott[31]	Corporal	Royal Marines	25 March 2011	Afghanistan (posthumous)
Cutterham, Deacon[32]	Sergeant	The Rifles	23 March 2012	Afghanistan
Wright-Hider, Simon[32]	Corporal	Royal Marines	23 March 2012	Afghanistan
Couzens, Scott Allan[33]	Staff Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	28 September 2012	Afghanistan
Fort, Jay	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	30 September 2012	Afghanistan
Glancy, James Alexander[34]	Captain	Royal Marines	22 March 2013	Afghanistan
Mason, Luke Timothy John[34]	Lieutenant	Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot)	22 March 2013	Afghanistan
Davis, Owen Edward[35]	Lieutenant	Royal Marines	4 October 2013	Afghanistan
Griffiths, Josh Edward Hayden[35]	Corporal	Mercian Regiment	4 October 2013	Afghanistan
Steel, Gareth David[35]	Private	Parachute Regiment	4 October 2013	Afghanistan
Stazicker, Anthony[36]	Corporal	Royal Marines	21 March 2014	Afghanistan
Moloney, Simon George[36]	Lance Corporal	Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons)	21 March 2014	Afghanistan
Anonymous[37]	Unknown	Special Air Service	30 November 2019	Kenya

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom

Notes

1. "Military Honours and Awards". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 10 October 2006.
2. "JSP 761 Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces" (PDF). p. 12A-1. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
3. "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3351.
4. "Conspicuous Gallantry Cross". MOD Medal Office. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
5. Online Medals: Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, (Accessed 8 June 2018).
6. "Honours & Gallantry Awards". mod.uk/. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
7. "No. 54028". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 May 1995. p. 6612.
8. "No. 54393". The London Gazette. 9 May 1996. p. 6547.
9. "No. 57936". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 March 2006. p. 4197.
10. "No. 57751". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 September 2005. p. 11648.
11. "No. 57588". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 March 2005. p. 3378.
12. "No. 57100". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 October 2003. p. 4.
13. "No. 57269". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 April 2004. p. 5132.
14. "No. 58633". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 March 2008. p. 3619.
15. "No. 57588". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 March 2005. p. 3374.
16. "No. 57936". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 March 2006. p. 4195.
17. "No. 58183". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 December 2006. p. 17357.
18. "No. 58183". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 December 2006. p. 17359.
19. It is the first and only time an individual gallantry award has been awarded to a military unit. Unlike the 1942 George Cross to Malta and the 1999 George Cross to the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the award to The Royal Irish Regiment was gazetted. See: "No. 58186". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 December 2006. p. 17495.
20. "No. 58396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 July 2007. p. 10411.
21. "No. 58396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 July 2007. p. 10413.
22. "No. 58633". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 March 2008. p. 3613.
23. "No. 58633". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 March 2008. p. 3615.
24. "No. 58999". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 March 2009. p. 4082.
25. "No. 58999". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 March 2009. p. 4085.
26. "No. 59211". The London Gazette. 13 October 2009. p. 17559.
27. "No. 59182". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 September 2009. p. 15640.
28. "No. 59366". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 March 2010. p. 4834.
29. Spelling is correct: this form is used by The Rifles.
30. "No. 59554". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 2010. p. 18536.
31. >"No. 59737". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 March 2011. p. 5640.
32. "No. 60095". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 March 2012. p. 5848.
33. "No. 60283". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 September 2012. p. 18624.
34. "No. 60456". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 March 2013. p. 5738.
35. "Operational Honours and Awards List: 4 October 2013 – News stories – GOV.UK".
36. "No. 60813". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 March 2014. p. 5836.
37. "SAS Hero Who Secured Kenyan Hotel To Receive Top Award". Forces Network. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.

References

• Mackay, J and Mussell, J (eds) – Medal Yearbook – 2007, (2006), Token Publishing, Honiton, Devon