List of George Cross recipients

The George Cross (GC) is the highest civil decoration of the Commonwealth of Nations.[1] As the civilian counterpart of the Victoria Cross, the GC is the highest gallantry award for civilians as well as for military personnel in actions which are not in the face of the enemy, or for which purely military honours would not normally be granted.[2] This list solely contains original George Cross recipients and not recipients of the Empire Gallantry Medal (which preceded the George Cross), the Albert Medal or the Edward Medal, living recipients of these medals were at various times instructed to exchange their original medal for the GC.

Contents

Personal awards

Name & Rank Date Gazetted Nationality Organisation Posthumous award
Thomas Hopper Alderson 1940-09-3030 September 1940 British Air Raid Precautions No
Captain Mateen Ahmed Ansari 1946-04-1818 April 1946 Indian 7th Rajput Regiment, Indian Army Yes
Lieutenant Bertram Stuart Trevelyan Archer 1941-09-3030 September 1941 British Royal Engineers No
Sub-Lieutenant Robert Selby Armitage 1940-12-2727 December 1940 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Tracker Awang anak Rawang 1951-11-2020 November 1951 Malaysian Federation of Malaya No
John Axon 1957-05-077 May 1957 British British Rail Yes
Sub-Lieutenant John Herbert Babington 1940-12-2727 December 1940 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Sergeant Eric George Bailey 1946-10-2929 October 1946 Australian New South Wales Police Force Yes
John Bamford 1952-12-1616 December 1952 British No
Sergeant Arthur Banks 1946-11-055 November 1946 British Desert Air Force Yes
Major Herbert John Leslie Barefoot 1941-01-2222 January 1941 British Royal Engineers No
Inspector James Wallace Beaton 1974-09-2727 September 1974 British Metropolitan Police Force No
Sergeant John Archibald Beckett 1947-12-1616 December 1947 British Royal Air Force Yes
Second Lieutenant Michael Paul Benner 1958-06-1717 June 1958 British Royal Engineers Yes
Major Kenneth Alfred Biggs 1946-10-1111 October 1946 British Royal Army Ordnance Corps No
Captain Michael Floud Blaney 1941-04-1515 April 1941 Irish Royal Engineers Yes
Lieutenant John Bridge 1944-06-2020 June 1944 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Radio Officer David Broadfoot 1953-10-066 October 1953 British Merchant Navy Yes
Sub-Lieutenant Francis Haffey Brooke-Smith 1941-06-2727 June 1941 British Royal Naval Reserve No
Richard Arthur Samuel Bywater 1944-09-2626 September 1944 British Ministry of Supply No
Second Lieutenant Alexander Fraser Campbell 1941-01-2222 January 1941 British Royal Engineers Yes
Flight Lieutenant Wilson Hodgson Charlton 1944-01-2121 January 1944 British Royal Air Force No
Apprentice Donald Owen Clarke 1943-07-2020 July 1943 British Merchant Navy Yes
John Clements 1976-12-077 December 1976 British Sherrardswood School Yes
Lieutenant Dennis Arthur Copperwheat 1942-11-1717 November 1942 British Royal Navy No
Frederick John Cradock 1943-09-1010 September 1943 British Yes
Lance-Corporal Matthew Croucher 2008-07-2424 July 2008 British 40 Commando, Royal Marines Reserve No
Sub-Lieutenant Peter Victor Danckwerts 1940-12-2020 December 1940 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Fireman Frederick Davies 1946-02-055 February 1946 British National Fire Service Yes
Lieutenant Robert Davies 1940-09-3030 September 1940 British Royal Engineers No
Squadron Leader Hubert Dinwoodie 1947-02-044 February 1947 New Zealand Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve No
Sowar Ditto Ram 1945-12-1313 December 1945 Indian Central India Horse Yes
Albert George Dolphin 1941-01-1717 January 1941 British South Eastern Hospital, London Yes
Raymond Tasman Donoghue 1960-10-1111 October 1960 Australian Metropolitan Tram Trust, Tasmania Yes
Squadron Leader John Noel Dowland 1941-01-077 January 1941 British Royal Air Force No
Private Charles Alfred Duncan 1943-11-199 November 1943 British 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment Yes
Sub-Lieutenant John Bryan Peter Duppa-Miller 1941-01-1414 January 1941 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Captain Mahmood Khan Durrani 1946-05-2323 May 1946 Indian 1st Bahawalpur Infantry, Indian Army No
Lieutenant William Marsden Eastman 1940-12-2424 December 1940 British Royal Army Ordnance Corps No
Sub-Lieutenant Jack Maynard Cholmondeley Easton 1941-01-2323 January 1941 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Chief Petty Officer Reginald Vincent Ellingworth 1940-12-2020 December 1940 British HMS Vernon Yes
Errol John Emanuel 1972-02-011 February 1972 Australian District Commissioner, Territory of Papua New Guinea Yes
Fireman Harry Errington 1941-08-088 August 1941 British Auxiliary Fire Service No
Detective Constable Frederick William Fairfax 1952-01-066 January 1953 British Metropolitan Police Force No
Lieutenant Francis Anthony Blair Fasson 1943-09-1414 September 1943 British HMS Petard Yes
Trooper Christopher Finney 2003-10-3131 October 2003 British Household Cavalry Regiment No
Captain Douglas Ford 1946-04-1818 April 1946 British Royal Scots Yes
Lieutenant William George Foster 1942-11-2727 November 1942 British 7th Wiltshire Battalion, Home Guard Yes
Leslie Owen Fox 1945-02-2020 February 1945 British London County Council Heavy Rescue Service No
John Alexander Fraser 1946-10-2929 October 1946 British Assistant Attorney General, Hong Kong Colonial Service Yes
Sergeant Michael Gibson 1941-01-2222 January 1941 British Royal Engineers Yes
Lieutenant Ernest Oliver Gidden 1942-06-099 June 1942 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Aircraftman 1st Class Ivor John Gillett 1950-10-033 October 1950 British Royal Air Force Yes
Benjamin Gimbert 1944-07-2525 July 1944 British London & North Eastern Railway No
Constable Anthony John Gledhill 1967-05-2323 May 1967 British Metropolitan Police Force No
Explosives Officer Roger Philip Goad 1976-10-011 October 1976 British Metropolitan Police Force Yes
Lieutenant Leon Verdi Goldsworthy 1944-09-1919 September 1944 Australian HMS Vernon No
Lieutenant George Herbert Goodman 1942-09-1515 September 1942 British HMS Vernon No
Lieutenant George Gosse 1946-04-3030 April 1946 Australian HMS Vernon No
Leading Aircraftman Karl Mander Gravell 1942-06-1111 June 1942 Canadian Royal Canadian Air Force Yes
Flight Lieutenant Hector Bertram Gray 1946-04-1919 April 1946 British Royal Air Force Yes
Flying Officer Roderick Borden Gray 1945-03-1313 March 1945 Canadian Royal Canadian Air Force Yes
Able Seaman Colin Grazier 1943-09-1414 September 1943 British HMS Petard Yes
Sergeant Stewart Graeme Guthrie 1991-12-1919 December 1991 New Zealand New Zealand Police Yes
Private Benjamin Gower Hardy 1950-09-011 September 1950 Australian 22nd Australian Garrison Battalion Yes
Roy Thomas Harris 1940-12-1717 December 1940 British Air Raid Precautions No
Barbara Jane Harrison 1969-08-088 August 1969 British British Overseas Airways Corporation Yes
Leonard Henry Harrison 1941-01-033 January 1941 British Air Ministry No
Albert Edward Heming 1945-07-1717 July 1945 Irish Civil Defence Rescue Service No
Sub-Officer George Campbell Henderson 1951-11-2020 November 1951 British Gibraltar Dockyard Fire Service Yes
Corporal James Hendry 1943-04-022 April 1943 Canadian Royal Canadian Engineers Yes
Lieutenant Commander William Ewart Hiscock 1942-06-1616 June 1942 British HMS St Angelo Yes
Aircraftman First Class Vivian Hollowday 1941-01-2121 January 1941 British Royal Air Force No
Corporal Kenneth Horsfield 1945-03-2323 March 1945 British Manchester Regiment, attached Special Air Service Yes
Sergeant Murray Ken Hudson 1974-10-1111 October 1974 New Zealand Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Yes
Driver Joseph Hughes 1947-06-2626 June 1947 British Royal Army Service Corps Yes
Staff Sergeant Kim Hughes 2010-03-1919 March 2010 British Royal Logistic Corps No
Noor Inayat-Khan 1949-04-055 April 1949 Russian Special Operations Executive Yes
Section Commander George Walter Inwood 1941-05-2727 May 1941 British 30th Warwickshire Battalion, Home Guard Yes
Lance Naik Islam-ud-Din 1945-10-055 October 1945 Indian Jat Regiment, Indian Army Yes
Captain Robert Llewellyn Jephson-Jones 1940-12-2424 December 1940 British Royal Army Ordnance Corps No
Staff Sergeant Major Barry Johnson 1990-11-066 November 1990 British Royal Army Ordnance Corps No
Private Ralph Jones 1950-09-011 September 1950 Australian 22nd Australian Garrison Battalion Yes
Able Seaman Thomas Raymond Kelly 1948-02-1010 February 1948 Irish Merchant Navy Yes
Major Andre Gilbert Kempster 1943-11-099 November 1943 British Duke of Wellington's Regiment Yes
James Stirratt Topping Kennedy 1975-08-1515 August 1975 British British Rail Yes
Fusilier Derek Godfrey Kinne 1954-04-1313 April 1954 British Royal Northumberland Fusiliers No
Naik Kirpa Ram 1946-03-1515 March 1946 Indian Frontier Force Regiment, Indian Army Yes
Captain Simmon Latutin 1946-09-1010 September 1946 British Somerset Light Infantry Yes
Sergeant Raymond Mayhew Lewin 1941-03-1111 March 1941 British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve No
Private Horace William Madden 1955-12-3030 December 1955 Australian Royal Australian Regiment Yes
Major Cyril Arthur Joseph Martin 1943-03-1111 March 1943 British Royal Engineers No
Captain Dudley William Mason 1942-09-088 September 1942 British Merchant Navy No
Captain Lionel Colin Matthews 1947-11-2828 November 1947 Australian Royal Australian Corps of Signals Yes
Dr Arthur Douglas Merriman 1940-12-033 December 1940 British Ministry of Supply No
Leonard John Miles 1941-01-1717 January 1941 British Air Raid Precautions Yes
Sub-Lieutenant Richard Valentine Moore 1940-12-2727 December 1940 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
William Radenhurst Mosedale 1941-03-2828 March 1941 British City of Birmingham Fire Brigade No
Special Constable Brandon Moss 1940-12-1313 December 1940 British Coventry Special Constabulary No
Lieutenant John Stuart Mould 1942-11-033 November 1942 Australian HMS Vernon No
Squadron Leader Eric Lawrence Moxey 1940-12-1717 December 1940 British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Yes
Michael Joseph Munnelly 1965-06-2929 June 1965 British The People Yes
Captain Robert Laurence Nairac 1979-03-1313 February 1979 British Grenadier Guards Yes
Lieutenant Harold Reginald Newgass 1941-03-044 March 1941 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Colonel Lanceray Arthur Newnham 1946-04-1818 April 1946 British Middlesex Regiment Yes
Brigadier Arthur Frederick Crane Nicholls 1946-03-011 March 1946 British Special Operations Executive Yes
James William Nightall 1944-07-2525 July 1944 British London & North Eastern Railway Yes
Captain Peter Allen Norton 2006-03-2323 March 2006 British Royal Logistic Corps No
Lieutenant-Commander Patrick Albert O'Leary 1946-01-011946 Belgian Special Operations Executive No
Wallace Arnold Oaks 1965-10-1919 October 1965 British British Rail Yes
Leading Aircraftman Albert Matthew Osborne 1942-07-1010 July 1942 British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Yes
Sergeant Graham Leslie Parish 1943-04-022 April 1943 British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Yes
Lieutenant John MacMillan Stevenson Patton 1940-12-1717 December 1940 Canadian Royal Canadian Engineers No
Constable Michael Kenneth Pratt 1978-06-044 July 1978 Australian Victoria Police No
Squadron Leader Rev. Herbert Cecil Pugh 1947-04-011 April 1947 South African Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Yes
Flight Lieutenant John Alan Quinton 1951-10-2323 October 1951 British Royal Air Force Yes
Havildar Abdul Rahman 1946-09-1010 September 1946 Indian 9th Jat Regiment, Indian Army Yes
Bombardier Henry Herbert Reed 1941-09-2323 September 1941 British Royal Artillery Yes
Sergeant John Rennie 1944-05-2626 May 1944 Canadian Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada Yes
Superintendent Gerald Irving Richardson 1972-11-1414 November 1972 British Lancashire Constabulary Yes
Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers 1965-03-1919 March 1965 Australian Royal Australian Navy Yes
Staff Sergeant Sidney George Rogerson 1946-10-1111 October 1946 British Royal Army Ordnance Corps No
Air Commodore Arthur Dwight Ross 1944-10-2727 October 1944 Canadian Royal Canadian Air Force No
Wing Commander John Samuel Rowlands 1943-08-1010 August 1943 British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve No
Lance-Corporal David Russell 1948-12-2424 December 1948 New Zealand Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Yes
Lieutenant-Commander Richard John Hammersley Ryan 1940-12-2020 December 1940 British HMS President Yes
Odette Sansom 1946-08-2020 August 1946 British Special Operations Executive No
Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid 2010-03-1919 March 2010 British Royal Logistics Corps Yes
Corporal James Patrick Scully 1941-07-088 July 1941 Irish Pioneer Corps No
Major Hugh Paul Seagrim 1946-09-1212 September 1946 British Special Operations Executive Yes
Private Joseph Henry Silk 1944-06-1313 June 1944 British Somerset Light Infantry Yes
Wing Commander Laurence Frank Sinclair 1941-01-2121 January 1941 British Royal Air Force No
Anthony Smith 1944-05-3030 May 1944 British Civil Defence Rescue Service No
Signalman Kenneth Smith 1945-10-1919 October 1945 British Royal Corps of Signals Yes
Seaman Bennett Southwell 1941-01-2323 January 1941 British HMS Vernon Yes
Brian Spillett 1965-06-2929 June 1965 British Yes
Leading Aircraftman Kenneth Gerald Spooner 1944-01-077 January 1944 Canadian Royal Canadian Air Force Yes
Constable Henry William Stevens 1958-10-2121 October 1958 British Metropolitan Police No
Chief Officer George Preston Stronach 1943-11-2323 November 1943 British Merchant Navy No
Major Stephen George Styles 1972-01-1111 January 1972 British Royal Army Ordnance Corps No
Subadar Subramanian 1944-06-3030 June 1944 Indian Queen Victoria's Own Madras Miners & Sappers Yes
Charles Howard, 20th Earl of Suffolk 1941-07-1818 July 1941 British Ministry of Supply Yes
Lieutenant Hugh Randall Syme 1943-08-033 August 1943 Australian Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Violette Szabo 1946-12-1717 December 1946 French Special Operations Executive Yes
George Anthony Morgan Taylor 1952-04-2222 April 1952 Australian Commonwealth Bureau of Mineral Resources No
Robert George Taylor 1950-08-011 August 1950 British Yes
Sub-Lieutenant William Horace Taylor 1941-01-1414 January 1941 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Captain Jenkin Robert Oswald Thompson 1945-02-022 February 1945 British Royal Army Medical Corps Yes
Able Seaman Stephen John Tuckwell 1941-01-1414 January 1941 British Royal Navy No
Norman Tunna 1941-01-2424 January 1941 British Great Western Railway No
Lieutenant Geoffrey Gledhill Turner 1941-06-2727 June 1941 British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve No
Constable Carl Walker 1972-11-1414 November 1972 British Lancashire Constabulary No
Lieutenant Terence Edward Waters 1954-04-1313 April 1954 British West Yorkshire Regiment Yes
Sergeant Michael Willetts 1971-05-2525 May 1971 British 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment Yes
Flight Sergeant Stanley James Woodbridge 1948-09-2828 September 1948 British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Yes
Corporal Mark Wright 2006-12-1515 December 2006 British 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment Yes
Sapper George Cameron Wylie 1940-09-3030 September 1940 British Royal Engineers No
Wing Commander Forest Frederick Edward Yeo-Thomas 1946-02-1515 February 1946 British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve No
Lieutenant St. John Graham Young 1945-07-2020 July 1945 British Royal Tank Regiment Yes

Group awards

Group Date Gazetted
Island of Malta 15 April 1942
Royal Ulster Constabulary 23 November 1999

George Cross in literature and the arts

The fictional detective inspector William E. "Jack" Frost in the novels of R. D. Wingfield is a recipient of the George Cross, which sometimes serves as a plot element in allowing him to get away with actions that would otherwise have landed him in trouble.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Certain Commonwealth Realms have instituted their own indigenous honours systems, replacing the GC and other Commonwealth awards so far as their citizens are concerned.
  2. ^ Mackay, J. (author), Mussell, P. (author), Mussell, J. W. (editor) (2005), The Medal Yearbook 2006, (Devon: Token Publishing Ltd)

References

External links

Predecessors
Recipients