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.
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. It was designed and sculpted by Michael Rizzello for the Royal Mint.
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. 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.Online Medals: Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, (Accessed 8 June 2018). Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters CGC.
Appearance
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 the 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.
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 PlaceMills, Wayne Corporal Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) 9 May 1995 Bosnia and HerzegovinaHumphreys, Peter Colour Sergeant Royal Welch Fusiliers 9 May 1996 Bosnia and HerzegovinaBaycroft, John David, MBE Colour Sergeant Parachute Regiment 6 April 2001 Sierra Leone (Operation Barras)MacFarlane, Iain James McKechnie Squadron LeaderRoyal Air Force 6 April 2001 Sierra Leone (Operation Barras)Day, Tony Kenneth Corporal Royal Marines 29 October 2002 AfghanistanMerchant, Jeremy Mark Captain Royal Marines 29 October 2002 AfghanistanHearne, Karl Anthony Corporal Parachute Regiment 29 October 2002 AfghanistanSanders, Edward Lawrence Private Parachute Regiment 29 October 2002 AfghanistanThomas, Justin Royston Marine Royal Marines 31 October 2003 IraqFlynn, Michael JohnLance Corporal of Horse Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) 31 October 2003 IraqJardine, Shaun Garry Corporal King's Own Scottish Borderers 23 April 2004 IraqRobertson, Gordon Sergeant Parachute Regiment23 April 2004 IraqGreensmith, Benjamin Paul Corporal Parachute Regiment7 March 2008 IraqBroome, Christopher Mark Sergeant Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) 18 March 2005 IraqBryan, Terry Sergeant Royal Artillery 18 March 2005 IraqThomson, Terence Alan Corporal Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)18 March 2005 IraqTomlinson, Matthew Robert Colour Sergeant Royal Marines24 March 2006 IraqRadford, Andrew Lance Corporal of Horse Life Guards 14 December 2006 AfghanistanCollins, John Corporal Parachute Regiment14 December 2006 IraqHarkess, James Royce Colour Sergeant Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) 14 December 2006 IraqFarmer, Hugo Lieutenant Parachute Regiment14 December 2006 AfghanistanIllingworth, Timothy Acting Captain The Light Infantry 14 December 2006 AfghanistanUnit awardIt 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: Royal Irish Regiment/Ulster Defence Regiment 19 December 2006Northern IrelandThompson, John Thomas Corporal Royal Marines19 July 2007 AfghanistanHollingsworth, Jonathan Stuart, QGM Sergeant Parachute Regiment19 July 2007 Iraq (posthumous)Campbell, Donald Peter Acting Corporal Royal Engineers 7 March 2008 AfghanistanCupples, Simon Timothy Lieutenant Mercian Regiment 7 March 2008 AfghanistanWillmott, Paul Darren Private Mercian Regiment7 March 2008 AfghanistanMiller, Adam William Corporal Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 7 March 2008 IraqWadsworth, James Anthony Staff Sergeant Royal Logistic Corps 7 March 2008 IraqMcClurg, Robert William Kerr Corporal Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) 6 March 2009 AfghanistanStevens, Alwyn John Acting Sergeant Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)6 March 2009 AfghanistanToge, Jone Bruce Lance Corporal Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)6 March 2009 AfghanistanDurber, Leonard John Colour Sergeant Parachute Regiment 6 March 2009 IraqMalone, Bradley Acting Corporal Royal Marines 11 September 2009 AfghanistanNethery, Steven Marine Royal Marines 11 September 2009 AfghanistanDennis, Alan Gordon Sergeant Mercian Regiment 19 March 2010 AfghanistanGadsby, Stephen William Gunner Royal Artillery 19 March 2010 AfghanistanGiles, Marc Kevin Sergeant Mercian Regiment 19 March 2010 AfghanistanMoncho, Jaime SergeantSpelling is correct: this form is used by The Rifles. The Rifles 19 March 2010 AfghanistanProut, Gary Lance Bombardier Royal Artillery 19 March 2010 AfghanistanSmith, Kyle Patrick Lance Corporal Mercian Regiment 19 March 2010 AfghanistanTurner, Robert Sergeant Royal Marines 24 September 2010 AfghanistanBourne-Taylor, Robin Edwin Geoffrey Captain Life Guards 24 September 2010 AfghanistanBrownson, Lee Corporal The Rifles 24 September 2010 Afghanistan (posthumous)Horn, Graham Stuart Lance Corporal Parachute Regiment 24 September 2010 AfghanistanMcKie, James Lee Lance Corporal The Rifles 24 September 2010 AfghanistanPun, Dip Prasad Acting Sergeant Royal Gurkha Rifles 25 March 2011 AfghanistanJackson, Mark Anthony Marine Royal Marines 25 March 2011 AfghanistanStephens, Seth Vincent Scott Corporal Royal Marines 25 March 2011 Afghanistan (posthumous)Cutterham, Deacon Sergeant The Rifles 23 March 2012 AfghanistanWright-Hider, Simon Corporal Royal Marines 23 March 2012 AfghanistanCouzens, Scott Allan Staff Sergeant Parachute Regiment 28 September 2012 AfghanistanGlancy, James Alexander Captain Royal Marines 22 March 2013 AfghanistanMason, Luke Timothy John Lieutenant Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) 22 March 2013 AfghanistanDavis, Owen Edward LieutenantRoyal Marines 4 October 2013 AfghanistanGriffiths, Josh Edward Hayden CorporalMercian Regiment 4 October 2013 AfghanistanSteel, Gareth David Private Parachute Regiment 4 October 2013 AfghanistanStazicker, Anthony Corporal Special Boat Service 21 March 2014 AfghanistanMoloney, Simon George Lance Corporal Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) 21 March 2014 AfghanistanCraighead, Christian MBEPending Gazette Entry (Due end of 2022) https://www.forces.net/news/sas-hero-who-secured-kenyan-hotel-receive-top-awardPseudonym used to protect identityWarrant Officer Class 2Special Air Service | Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)14 November 2019Kenya
See also Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom
Notes
References Mackay, J and Mussell, J (eds) – Medal Yearbook – 2007, (2006), Token Publishing, Honiton, Devon