Victoria Cross for Australia: Difference between revisions

{{otherOther uses|Victoria Cross (disambiguation)}}

| name = Victoria Cross for Australia

| image = =[[File:UK Victoria Cross (UK)ribbon ribbonbar.pngsvg|center|alt=Crimson ribbon with a miniature VC in the middle]]

| caption = Obverse of the medal and ribbon. Ribbon: 32mm32 mm, crimson

| presenter = [[Monarch of Australia]] on the recommendation of the Prime Minister

| type = Military decoration

| eligibility = [[Australian Defence Force|Australian military personnel]]

| awarded_for = "... most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy."<ref name=OzVcpdf>{{Cite web |url=http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/publications/honours/factsheets/victorian_cross_%20for_australia.pdf |title=Victoria Cross for Australia |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=2 July 2007 }}</ref>

| campaign = =

| status = Currently awarded

| description = Bronze [[Crosscross pattée]] with Crowncrown and Lionlion Superimposedsuperimposed, and motto: 'For Valour'

| clasps = =

The '''Victoria Cross for Australia''' is the highest award in the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Australia|Australian Honourshonours Systemsystem]], superseding the British [[Victoria Cross]] for issue to Australians. The Victoria Cross for Australia is the "decoration for according recognition to persons who in the presence of the enemy, perform acts of the most conspicuous gallantry, or daring or pre-eminent acts of valour or self-sacrifice or display extreme devotion to duty.".<ref>''Commonwealth Gazette'' No. S25, 4 February 1991, p. 1.</ref>

The original [[Victoria Cross]] was officially instituted on 29 January 1856 by [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] by [[Royal Warrantcharter|royal warrant]] and backdated to 1854 to recognise acts of valour committed during the [[Crimean War]].<ref name=Ashcroft7-10>Ashcroft, Michael, pp. 7–10</ref> It was originally intended that the Victoria Crosses would be cast from the [[bronze]] [[wikt:cascabel|cascabels]] of two [[cannon]]s that were captured from the [[Russian Empire|Russians]] at the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)|Siegesiege of Sevastopol]].<ref>Beharry, Johnson, p. 359</ref><ref name=Navalmuseum/><ref name="vc_manufacture">{{cite web |url=http://www.hancocks-london.com/vc_manufacture.htm| title=Hancocks of London History of VC | publisher=Hancocks of London |access-date= 24 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827184613/http://www.hancocks-london.com/vc_manufacture.htm |archive-date=27 August 2008}}</ref> However, historian John Glanfield has proven, through the use of X-rays of older Victoria Crosses, that the metal used for the Victoria Crosses is in fact made from antique Chinese guns, and not of Russian origin.<ref name=Navalmuseum/><ref name="vc_manufacture" /><ref name=Glanfield>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1506463/Author-explodes-myth-of-the-gunmetal-VC.html |title=Author explodes myth of the gunmetal VC |last=Davies |first=Catronia |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |publisher=Telegraph Media Group |date=28 December 2005 |access-date=16 June 2007}}</ref>

Since the end of the Second World War most but not all [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] countries have introduced their own honours systems, separate from the [[British Honourshonours Systemsystem]]. Commonwealth countries, when replacing the British [[Victoria Cross]], [[George Cross]] and lesser decorations, created their own decorations for gallantry and bravery. The highest awards for Australia, Canada and New Zealand<ref name=nzgovdept>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/gallantry.html |title=New Zealand Honours |publisher=Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=30 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207042635/http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/gallantry.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=7 December 2006}}</ref> were named in honour of the British Victoria Cross but are unique awards of each country's honours system. Commonwealth countries have their own Order of Wear which is published in each country's gazette or other publication.

With the issuing of [[letters patent]] by the Queen of Australia on 15 January 1991, Australia became the first Commonwealth realm to institute a separate Victoria Cross award in its own honours system. Although it is a separate award, the Victoria Cross for Australia's appearance is identical to its British counterpart.<ref name=OzVcpage>{{cite web |url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/its-honour/victoria-cross |title=Victoria Cross |date=20 June 2016 |publisher=The Government of Australia |access-date=14 January 2019}}</ref> Canada followed suit when in 1993, Queen Elizabeth II as [[Queen of Canada]] signed Lettersletters Patentpatent creating the [[Canadian Victoria Cross]]. The Canadian version has a different inscription, as well as being cast from three groupings of metals. The legend has been changed from <small>FOR VALOUR</small> to the [[Latin]] <small>''PRO VALORE''</small>.<ref name=CTVVChist>{{cite news| url=httphttps://www.ctvctvnews.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070303/victoria_cross_070303/20070303?hub=TopStoriestop-military-honour-now-cast-in-canada-report-1.231701 |title=Top military honour now cast in Canada |last=CTV.ca |first =News staff |publisher=CTV news |date=3 March 2007 |access-date=24 June 2007}}</ref> Although one Canadian VC has been cast, none have been awarded. In 1999, New Zealand created the [[Victoria Cross for New Zealand]], identical to the Australian and British Victoria Crosses,<ref name=nzgovdept/> and this has been awarded once, on 2 July 2007 to Corporal [[Willie Apiata]].<ref name=VCreceived>{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10453961| title=Willie Apiata receives his VC |work=NZThe New Zealand Herald |publisher=APN News & Media |date=26 July 2007 |access-date=3 August 2007}}</ref>

[[File:35AWM.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Australian War Memorial]] which currently holds 66 Victoria Crosses|alt=A view looking up a landscaped hill; steps lead to the entrance of a large cupola-topped building with three flag poles in front.]]

The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the [[Australian Honours Order of Precedence]]. As such, it takes precedence over all other [[Commonwealth Realms orders and decorations#Australia|Australian orders and decorations]], except the Imperial [[Victoria Cross]], with which it shares equal precedence. This postnominal is valid only for the recipient and is not transferred to the recipient's heirs.<ref>Ashcroft, Michael, Introduction</ref> "Tradition holds that even the most senior officer will salute a Victoria Cross recipient as a mark of the utmost respect for their act of valour."<ref name="Houston salutes"/> WhilstWhile it has been a tradition for many years to salute a Victoria Cross recipient the Australian Army Ceremonial Manual, Volume 1, Annex B to Chapter 13 states "Victoria Cross winners, unless they are serving commissioned officers in the armed forces, are not saluted". [[Air Chief Marshal (Australia)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Angus Houston]] saluted Trooper [[Mark Donaldson]] after he received his VC.<ref name="Houston salutes">{{cite news|url=http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/im-no-hero-says-aussie-soldier-with-vc-20090116-7imy.html |title=I'm no hero says Aussie soldier with VC |work=[[The Age]] |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=16 January 2009|access-date=16 January 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=8677 The Chief of the Defence Force salutes Trooper Mark Donaldson, VC], Defence Media Release MSPA19/09, 16 January 2009.</ref> Under Section 103, Subsection (4), of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986, the Australian Government pays a Victoria Cross Allowance to any service person awarded the medal.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/ |title=Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986 |publisher= Australasian Legal Information Institute |access-date=16 June 2007}}</ref> The act set this amount at [[Australian dollar|A$]]3,230 per year. Since 20 September 2005, this amount has been indexed annually in line with Australian Consumer Price Index increases.<ref>'''Australian Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986, section 103, ''' ''(4) Victoria Cross allowance granted to a veteran under this section is payable at the rate of $3,230 per year. Note: The amount fixed by this subsection is indexed annually in line with CPI increases. See section 198FA.'', {{cite web | url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/s198fa.html |title=Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986, section 198a |publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute |access-date=30 June 2007}}</ref> This amount is in addition to any amount that the veteran may be awarded under the general decoration allowance of $2.10 per fortnight.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/s102.html |title=Veteran's Entitlement Act 1986, Section 102 |publisher= Australasian Legal Information Institute |access-date=31 October 2007}}</ref>

The various forms of the Victoria Cross are inherently valuable, as was highlighted on 24 July 2006, when at the auctionhouse [[Bonhams]] in Sydney, the VC which had been awarded to [[First World War]] soldier Captain [[Alfred John Shout|Alfred Shout]], fetched a world-record [[hammer price]] of $1&nbsp;million. Shout had been awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously in 1915 for hand-to-hand combat at the [[Battle of Lone Pine|Lone Pine]] trenches in [[Gallipoli]], [[Turkey]]. The buyer, [[Kerry Stokes]], has lent it to the [[Australian War Memorial]] for display with the eight other Victoria Crosses awarded to Australians at Gallipoli.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Gallipoli-VC-medal-sets-auction-record/2006/07/24/1153593264537.html |title=Gallipoli VC medal sets auction record |work=[[The Age]] |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=24 July 2006 |access-date=2 November 2007}}</ref><ref name=AWMholdings>{{cite web |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/vic_cross.htm |title=List of Victoria Crosses Held |publisher=[[Australian War Memorial]] |access-date=17 June 2007}}</ref> The Australian War Memorial in [[Canberra]] currently holds 66 Victoria Crosses, 63 awarded to Australians—including Mark Donaldson's Victoria Cross for Australia on loan—and three to British soldiers; this formed the largest publicly displayed collection in the world,<ref name=AWMholdings /> until the opening of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the [[Imperial War Museum]] (IWM) in [[London]] during November 2010, which displays the 168 VCs owned by [[Michael Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft|Lord Ashcroft]] and 48 more held by the IWM.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/8258207/Fifty-great-heroes-the-brave-the-gallant-and-the-extraordinary.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120110642/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/8258207/Fifty-great-heroes-the-brave-the-gallant-and-the-extraordinary.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 January 2011|title=Fifty great heroes: the brave, the gallant and the extraordinary|author=Lord Ashcroft|author-link=Lord Ashcroft|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=16 January 2011|access-date=24 January 2011}}</ref>

{{mainMain|List of Australian Victoria Cross recipients#Victoria Cross for Australia}}

The first Victoria Cross for Australia was awarded to [[Trooper (rank)|Trooper]] [[Mark Donaldson]] of the [[Special Air Service Regiment]] by Governor-General [[Quentin Bryce]] at [[Government House, Canberra]], on 16 January 2009.<ref name=DoD>{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/special_events/TPR_markDonaldson.htm |title=Trooper Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson, VC |publisher=[[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]] |date=16 January 2009 |access-date=16 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214154326/http://www.defence.gov.au/special_events/TPR_markDonaldson.htm |archive-date=14 February 2014}}</ref><ref name=TheAustralian20090116>{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24920340-601,00.html |title=Australian SAS soldier Mark Donaldson awarded Victoria Cross |newspaper=[[The Australian]] |publisher=News Limited |date=16 January 2009 |access-date=7 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305102926/http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C25197%2C24920340-601%2C00.html |archive-date=5 March 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 2 September 2008, Donaldson rescued an interpreter under heavy enemy fire in [[Oruzgan province]] during [[Operation Slipper]], the Australian contribution to the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24788091-25837,00.html |title=Aussie special forces crush Taliban leaders in Afghanistan |author=Mark Dodd |work=[[The Australian]] |publisher=News Limited |date=12 December 2008 |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221091102/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C%2C24788091-25837%2C00.html |archive-date=21 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{quoteQuote|On 2 September 2008 Trooper Donaldson was outstanding in the manner in which he fought during a prolonged and effective enemy ambush. On numerous occasions, he deliberately drew the enemy's fire in order to allow wounded soldiers to be moved to safety. As the battle raged around him he saw that a coalition interpreter was lying motionless on exposed ground. With complete disregard for his own safety, on his own initiative and alone, Trooper Donaldson ran back eighty metres across exposed ground to rescue the interpreter and carry him back to a vehicle. Trooper Donaldson then rejoined his patrol and continued to engage the enemy while remaining exposed to heavy enemy fire.<ref name=DoD />}}

[[Corporal]] [[Ben Roberts-Smith]] [[Medal for Gallantry|MG]] of the Special Air Service Regiment was awarded the second Victoria Cross for Australia on 23 January 2011.<ref name="SAS digger awarded VC">{{cite news |agency=Australian Associated Press|title=SAS digger awarded VC for taking on Taliban |url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/sas-digger-awarded-vc-for-taking-on-taliban-20110123-1a0zd.html |access-date=23 January 2011 |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=23 January 2010 |publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]}}</ref> Corporal Roberts-Smith was awarded the medal for single-handedly charging and destroying two [[Taliban]] [[machine gun]] positions during the [[Shah Wali Kot Offensive]] in Afghanistan on 11 June 2010.<ref name="SAS digger awarded VC" /> This act has been described as similar to that of [[Edward Kenna]] VC.<ref name="Second SAS Afghan Victoria Cross">{{cite news |last=Dodd |first=Mark |title=Second SAS Afghan Victoria Cross for heroic charge |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/second-sas-afghan-victoria-cross-for-heroic-charge/story-fn59niix-1225991997101 |access-date=23 January 2011 |newspaper=[[The Australian]] |date=21 January 2010 |publisher=[[News Limited]]}}</ref> Corporal Roberts-Smith had previously been awarded a [[Medal for Gallantry]] in 2006, and upon receiving the VC became the most highly decorated serving member of the Australian Defence Force.<ref name="SAS digger awarded VC" />

On 3 April 2001, Senator [[Chris Schacht]], then a member of the [[Australian Senate]], gave notice that on the next day of sitting he would introduce the ''Award of Victoria Cross for Australia Bill 2001'' to award the Victoria Cross for Australia to certain persons. The next sitting day, 4 April 2001, Senator Schacht introduced the bill for three members of the Australian forces to be awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.<ref name=Hansard0401>{{cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Hansard/senate/dailys/ds040401.pdf |title=Parliamentary Debates, Senate |publisherwork=Hansard |date=1 April 2001 |access-date=26 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220065607/http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/dailys/ds040401.pdf |archive-date=20 December 2011}}(pp. 87–89)</ref> The bill was read a first time and Senator Schacht gave his Second Reading Speech in which he said it could be argued that an Act conferring a Victoria Cross for Australia may be beyond the legislative power of the Parliament but he believed that the "naval and military defence of the Commonwealth" power under section 51(vi) of the Constitution gave the Parliament authority to legislate with respect to honours and awards. In accordance with normal procedure the debate was then adjourned. On 1 June 2001, [[Sid Sidebottom]], the [[Division of Braddon|Member for Braddon]] introduced the ''Defence Act Amendment (Victoria Cross) Bill 2001''. The Bill was similar to the Senate bill and Sidebottom also believed that the Parliament had power under section 51(vi) of the Constitution.<ref name=Hansard0601/> Neither bill was again debated before the [[2001 Australian federal election]]. Both Senator Schacht and Mr Sidebottom were members of the [[Australian Labor Party]], then in opposition and the issue was included by the then opposition leader [[Kim Beazley]] in his campaign in the following General Election.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080728054033/http://www.ozpolitics.info/election2004/2001ALP/veterans.pdf| archive-date=28 July 2008 |url=http://www.ozpolitics.info/election2004/2001ALP/veterans.pdf |title=Kim Beazley's plans for veterans |publisher=Australian Labor Party |year=2001 |access-date=16 October 2007}}</ref> The awards were intended "to raise the profile and recognition of three ordinary Australians, who displayed outstanding bravery."<ref name=Hansard0601>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/HANSARD/reps/dailys/dr040601.pdf |title=Parliamentary Debates, House of Representatives |date=1 June 2001 |publisherwork=Hansard |access-date=26 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124083712/http://aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/dailys/dr040601.pdf |archive-date=24 November 2011}}(20–23)</ref>

In 1965, a campaign to award the Victoria Cross to Simpson resulted in his image with a donkey appearing on the obverse of the [[Anzac Commemorative Medallion]] that was announced in 1966 and first issued in 1967. Following the [[2007 Australian federal election]] the Labor party came to power and there was speculation that the 2001 bills may be reintroduced. Historians such as Anthony Staunton, writing in the ''Australian Journal of Military History'', have opined that the Victoria Cross for Australia should not be awarded retrospectively.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Bravery-award-for-war-hero.3675078.jp |title=Bravery award for war hero blocked |date=15 January 2008 |work=The Shields Gazette |last=Myles-Kelly |first=Paul |access-date=26 January 2008}}</ref> It was announced on 13 April 2011 that 13 cases of valour would be examined posthumously by the Australian government's Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal first debated "the eligibility of the 13 to receive the Victoria Cross, the Victoria Cross for Australia or other forms of recognition," before moving on to discuss the individual cases.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/awards-tribunal-to-consider-13-posthumous-vcs-20110416-1dihi.html |title=Awards tribunal to consider 13 posthumous VCs |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=16 April 2011 |access-date=19 April 2011}}</ref> The recommendations of the inquiry were ultimately submitted to government on 6 February 2013, advocating no awards be made.<ref>{{cite web|title=Inquiry into unresolved recognition for past acts of naval and military gallantry and valour|url=http://defence-honours-tribunal.gov.au/inquiries/completed-inquiries/valour/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224112336/https://defence-honours-tribunal.gov.au/inquiries/completed-inquiries/valour/|archive-date=24 December 2013|access-date=3 August 2013|work=Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal|publisher=Australian government}}</ref>

* {{cite book |last=Macklin |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Macklin |title=Bravest: How Some of Australia's Greatest War Heroes Won Their Medals |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-74114-882-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jIxsc0s6tcgC |access-date=23 July 2009}}