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List of Victoria Cross recipients by nationality

A bronze cross pattée bearing the crown of Saint Edward surmounted by a lion with the inscription FOR VALOUR. A crimson ribbon is attached
The Victoria Cross

This is a list of recipients of the Victoria Cross by nationality. It does not include the Victoria Cross awarded to the American Unknown Soldier of World War I buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. He was awarded the VC posthumously in 1921. This gesture reciprocated the award of the Medal of Honor to the British Unknown Warrior.

The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the British armed forces. A small number of Commonwealth countries still participate in the British (Imperial) honours system and would still be eligible to make Victoria Cross recommendations for their service personnel but none of these countries have ever been awarded the Victoria Cross. The last occasion a Commonwealth country was awarded the Victoria Cross was in 1969 during the Vietnam War and today all Commonwealth countries whose armed forces had been awarded the Victoria Cross under the British honours systems have their own honours systems and their own orders, decorations and medals. The Victoria Cross takes precedence over all other British orders, decorations and medals and may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and although civilians under military command are eligible for the award none has been awarded since 1879. The Victoria Cross has often been presented to the recipient during an investiture by the British monarch. The last award of the reign of King George VI and all awards of the reign of by the late Queen with the exception of the two posthumous awards to the Australian Army during the Vietnam War have been presented by Queen Elizabeth II. The VC has been awarded on 1358 occasions to 1355 individual recipients.

The original Royal Warrant and all warrants to this day contain both expulsion and restoration clauses. Eight recipients between 1861 and 1908 had their awards rescinded and although no award has ever been restored the names of the eight are included in the list. The original warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously. Between 1857 and 1901, twelve 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 for the South African War 1899–1902, the next of kin of three of the soldiers were sent medals by registered post in 1902. In the same gazette the first three posthumous awards were awarded and also sent to the next of kin. In 1907, the posthumous policy was reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six officers and men.[1] 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.[2][3]

For a short time in the middle 1800s, the VC was awarded for actions taken not in the face of the enemy. Six were awarded at this time for actions taken not in the face of the enemy. (Campbell Mellis Douglas was one of these recipients.)

Until 1921 the Victoria Cross could not be awarded to women, and to this day no VC has been awarded to members of that gender. With the approval of Queen Victoria, Elizabeth Webber Harris was awarded a gold VC for her valour in nursing cholera-ridden soldiers in India in 1869.[4]

Most Commonwealth countries have now created their own honours systems. Since 1991, three Commonwealth countries; Australia, Canada and New Zealand have created their own operational gallantry awards. In each case, their highest award for most conspicuous bravery was named in honour of the British (Imperial) Victoria Cross; the Victoria Cross for Australia, the Victoria Cross (Canada) and the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. One Victoria Cross for New Zealand was awarded to Willie Apiata on 26 July 2007; four Victoria Crosses for Australia have been awarded to Mark Donaldson, Ben Roberts-Smith, Daniel Keighran and Cameron Baird. All five awards were for actions in Afghanistan. As these are separate medals, they are not included in this list.

Recipients are described in the following list by nationality (birthplace) or (citizenship) or (country of service) or (uncertain) or in the case of New Zealand born Captain Alfred John Shout of the Australian Army by both (birthplace) and (country of service). The country lists are compiled differently with the Australian list only being members of the Australian forces, the Canadian list being members of the Canadian forces including Danish Thomas Dinesen who served in Canadian Army plus others who are considered by Canadians as Canadian recipients, while the English list only includes a few of the many English born recipients who were decorated as members of Commonwealth and Indian forces. There have been 1355 individual recipients including the American unknown who is not listed but the list has 1356 names including Alfred John Shout and another listed twice.

Recipients by nationality

[edit]
Name Nationality Date of action Conflict Unit Place of action Notes
Bellenden Hutcheson American 1918 First World War 75th Bn Canadian Expeditionary Force Drocourt-Quéant Support Line, France [5]
William Metcalf American 1918 First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force Arras, France [5]
George Mullin American 1917 First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force Passchendaele, Belgium [5]
William Seeley American 1864 Bombardment of Shimonoseki HMS Euryalus Shimonoseki, Japan
Raphael Zengel American 1918 First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force Warvillers, France [6]
AAA AustraliaList of 91 Australian recipients AAA AAA AA01 AAA
Adrian Carton de Wiart Belgian 1916 First World War BB0044th Dragoon Guards La Boiselle, France
Samuel Hodge British Virgin Islander 1866 Gambia Campaign BB0044th West India Regiment Tubabecelong, Gambia
AAB CanadaList of 96 Canadian recipients AAB AAB AA02 AAB
Duncan Home Channel Islander 1857 Indian Mutiny Bengal Sappers and Miners Delhi, India
George Ingouville Jersey, Channel Islands 1855 Crimean War HMS Arrogant Vyborg, Russia
Herbert Le Patourel Guernsey, Channel Islands 1942 Second World War Hampshire Regiment Tebourba, Tunisia
Ferdinand Le Quesne Jersey, Channel Islands 1889 British rule in Burma Royal Army Medical Corps Voklaak, Burma
John McCrea Channel Islander 1881 Basuto Gun War BB0011st Cape Mounted Yeomanry Tweefontein, South Africa
George Nurse Channel Islander 1899 Second Boer War Royal Field Artillery Colenso, South Africa
Euston Sartorious Channel Islander 1859 Second Anglo-Afghan War BB05959th Regiment of Foot Shahjui, Afghanistan
Reginald Sartorious Channel Islander 1874 First Ashanti Expedition BB0066th Bengal Cavalry Obugu, Ashanti
Thomas Dinesen Danish 1918 First World War BB04242nd Bn CEF Canadian Expeditionary Force Parvillers, France
Percy Hansen Danish 1915 First World War BB0066th Lincolnshire Regiment Gallipoli, Turkey
Anders Lassen Danish 1945* Second World War Special Boat Service Comacchio, Italy
AAC EnglandList of 600+ English recipients
(may be incomplete) 		AAC AAC AA03 AAC
Sefanaia Sukanaivalu Fijian 1944* Second World War Fiji Infantry Regiment Mawaraka, Bougainville Island
Charles Wooden German 1854 Crimean War BB01717th Lancers Balaklava, Crimea
Johnson Beharry Grenadian 2004 Iraq War Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Amarah, Iraq
William Johnstone Hanoverian 1854 Crimean War HMS Arrogant, RN Åland, Finland [7]
Premindra Bhagat Indian 1941 Second World War Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners Gallabat, Abyssinia
Yeshwant Ghadge Indian 1944* Second World War 5th Mahratta Light Infantry Upper Tiber Valley, Italy
Abdul Hafiz Indian 1944* Second World War BB0099th Jat Regiment Imphal, India
Namdeo Jadav Indian 1945 Second World War BB0055th Mahratta Light Infantry Senio River, Italy
Karamjeet Judge Indian 1945* Second World War BB41515th Punjab Regiment Meiktila, Burma
Lala Indian 1916 First World War BB04141st Dogras El Orah, Mesopotamia
Darwan Negi Indian 1914 First World War BB03939th Garhwal Rifles Festubert, France
Gabar Negi Indian 1915* First World War BB03939th Garhwal Rifles Neuve Chapelle, France
Bhandari Ram Indian 1944 Second World War BB01010th Baluch Regiment Arakan State, Burma
Chhelu Ram Indian 1943* Second World War BB0066th Rajputana Rifles Djebel Garci, Tunisia
Kamal Ram Indian 1944 Second World War BB0088th Punjab Regiment River Gari, Italy
Richhpal Ram Indian 1941* Second World War BB0066th Rajputana Rifles Keren, Eritrea
Badlu Singh Indian 1918* First World War BB01414th Murray's Jat Lancers River Jordan, Palestine
Chatta Singh Indian 1916 First World War BB0099th Bhopal Infantry Battle of the Wadi, Mesopotamia
Gian Singh Indian 1945 Second World War BB01515th Punjab Regiment Myingyan, Burma
Gobind Singh Indian 1917 First World War BB02828th Light Cavalry Pezières, France [8]
Ishar Singh Indian 1921 Waziristan Campaign BB02828th Punjabis Haidari Kach, India
Nand Singh Indian 1944 Second World War BB11111th Sikh Regiment Maungdaw–Buthidaung Road, Burma
Parkash Singh Indian 1943 Second World War BB0088th Punjab Regiment Donbaik, Burma
Prakash Chib Indian 1945* Second World War BB01313th Frontier Force Rifles Kanlan Ywathit, Burma
Ram Singh Indian 1944* Second World War BB0011st Punjab Regiment Kennedy Peak, Burma
Mir Dast Indian 1915 First World War BB05555th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force) Wieltje, Belgium
Fazal Din Indian 1945 Second World War BB01010th Baluch Regiment Meiktila, Burma
Ganju Lama Indian 1944 Second World War BB0077th Gurkha Rifles Ningthoukhong, Burma
Ali Haidar Pakistani 1945 Second World War BB01313th Frontier Force Rifles Fusignano, Italy
Khudadad Khan Pakistani 1914 First World War BB129129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis Hollebeke, Belgium
Shahamad Khan Pakistani 1916 First World War BB08989th Punjabis Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia
Sher Shah Pakistani 1945* Second World War BB01616th Punjab Regiment Kyeyebyin, Burma
Umrao Singh Indian 1944 Second World War Royal Indian Artillery Kaladan Valley, Burma
AAD IrelandList of 195 Irish recipients AAD AAD AA04 AAD
William Gordon Jamaican 1892 Second Gambian Campaign West India Regiment Toniataba, Gambia
Nigel Leakey Kenyan 1941* Second World War BB012King's African Rifles

Colito, Abyssinia

Robert Henry Cain Manx 1944 Second World War BB0022nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment Arnhem, Netherlands [9]
Gaje Ghale Nepalese 1943 Second World War BB0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) Chin Hills, Burma
Bhanbhagta Gurung Nepalese 1945 Second World War BB0022nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles Tamandu, Burma
Lachhiman Gurung Nepalese 1945 Second World War BB0088th Gurkha Rifles Taungdaw, Burma
Thaman Gurung Nepalese 1944* Second World War BB0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) Monte San Bartolo, Italy
Rambahadur Limbu Nepalese 1965 Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation BB01010th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles Sarawak, Borneo
Tulbahadur Pun Nepalese 1944 Second World War BB0066th Gurkha Rifles Mogaung, Burma
Agansing Rai Nepalese 1944 Second World War BB0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) Bishenpur, India
Karanbahadur Rana Nepalese 1918 First World War BB0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles El Kefr, Egypt
Kulbir Thapa Nepalese 1915 First World War BB0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles Fauquissart, France
Lalbahadur Thapa Nepalese 1943 Second World War BB0032nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles Rass-es-Zouai, Tunisia
Netrabahadur Thapa Nepalese 1944* Second World War BB0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) Bishenpur, India
Sher Thapa Nepalese 1944* Second World War BB0099th Gurkha Rifles San Marino, Italy
Leslie Andrew New Zealander 1917 First World War Wellington Infantry Regiment La Basse Ville, Belgium
Cyril Bassett New Zealander 1915 First World War New Zealand Divisional Signal Company Gallipoli, Turkey
Donald Brown New Zealander 1916 First World War Otago Infantry Regiment High Wood, France [10]
James Crichton New Zealander 1918 First World War BB500Auckland Infantry Regiment Crèvecœur, France
Cecil D'Arcy New Zealander 1879 Anglo-Zulu War Frontier Light Horse Ulundi, South Africa
Keith Elliott New Zealander 1942 Second World War BB02222nd, 2nd New Zealand Division Ruweisat, Egypt
Samuel Forsyth New Zealander 1918* First World War Royal New Zealand Engineers Grévillers, France
Bernard Freyberg New Zealander 1916 First World War BB06363rd (Royal Naval) Division Beaucourt sur Ancre, France
Samuel Frickleton New Zealander 1917 First World War New Zealand Rifle Brigade Messines, Belgium
John Grant New Zealander 1918 First World War Wellington Infantry Regiment Bancourt, France
William Hardham New Zealander 1901 Second Boer War BB0044th New Zealand Contingent Naauwpoort, South Africa
Charles Heaphy New Zealander 1864 New Zealand Wars BB501Auckland Militia Mangapiko River, New Zealand
John Hinton New Zealander 1941 Second World War BB02020th, 2nd New Zealand Division Kalamai, Greece
Clive Hulme New Zealander 1941 Second World War BB02323rd, 2nd New Zealand Division Crete, Greece
Reginald Judson New Zealander 1918 First World War BB500Auckland Infantry Regiment Bapaume, France
Harry Laurent New Zealander 1918 First World War New Zealand Rifle Brigade Gouzeaucourt Wood, France
Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu New Zealander 1943* Second World War BB02828th, 2nd New Zealand Division Tebaga Gap, Tunisia
Henry Nicholas New Zealander 1917 First World War Canterbury Infantry Regiment Polderhoek, Belgium
William Sanders New Zealander 1917* First World War HMS Prize (HMS Prize) Atlantic
Alfred Shout New Zealander 1915* First World War First Australian Imperial Force Gallipoli
Richard Travis New Zealander 1918* First World War Otago Infantry Regiment Rossignol Wood, France
Leonard Trent New Zealander 1943 Second World War No. 487 Squadron RNZAF Amsterdam, Netherlands
Willie Apiata New Zealander 2004 Afghanistan War New Zealand Special Air Service Afghanistan, Afghanistan
Lloyd Trigg New Zealander 1943* Second World War No. 200 Squadron RAF Atlantic
Charles Upham New Zealander 1941
1942		 Second World War BB02020th, 2nd New Zealand Division Crete, Greece, (1941),
Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt (1942)		 [11]
James Ward New Zealander 1941* Second World War No. 75 Squadron RNZAF Munster, Germany
John Croak Newfoundlander 1918* First World War BB01313th Battalion, CEF Amiens, France [12]
Thomas Ricketts Newfoundlander 1918 First World War Royal Newfoundland Regiment Ledeghem, Belgium [12]
Frank Baxter Rhodesian 1896* Matabeleland Rebellion Bulawayo Field Force Umguza, Rhodesia
Frederick Booth South African 1917 First World War British South Africa Police Johannesburg, German East Africa .[13] Attached to Rhodesian Native Regiment[14]
Herbert Henderson Rhodesian 1897 Matabeleland Rebellion Bulawayo Field Force Bulawayo, Rhodesia
AAE ScotlandList of 164 Scottish recipients AAE AAE AA05 AAE
Herman Albrecht South African 1900* Second Boer War Imperial Light Horse Ladysmith, South Africa
Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor South African 1918 First World War No. 84 Squadron RFC Western Front, France
John Clements South African 1901 Second Boer War Rimington's Guides Strijdenburg, South Africa
Joseph Crowe South African 1857 Indian Mutiny BB07878th Regiment of Foot Boursekee Chowkee, India
William Faulds South African 1916 First World War BB0011st South African Infantry Delville Wood, France
George Gristock South African 1940* Second World War Royal Norfolk Regiment Tournai, Belgium
Edmund Hartley South African 1879 Zulu War Cape Mounted Riflemen Morosi's Mountain, South Africa
Reginald Hayward South African 1918 First World War Wiltshire Regiment Fremicourt, France
William Hewitt South African 1917 First World War BB0022nd South African Light Infantry Ypres, Belgium
Horace Martineau South African 1899 Second Boer War Protectorate Regiment Mafeking, South Africa
John McCrea South African 1881 First Boer War BB0011st Cape Mounted Yeomanry Tweefontein, South Africa
Charles Mullins South African 1899 Second Boer War Imperial Light Horse Elandslaagte, South Africa
Randolph Nesbitt South African 1896 Mashona Rebellion Mashonaland Mounted Police Salisbury, Rhodesia
John Nettleton South African 1942 Second World War No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF Augsburg, Germany
Gerard Norton South African 1944 Second World War Kaffrarian Rifles Monte Gidolfo, Italy
Oswald Reid South African 1917 First World War King's (Liverpool) Regiment Dialah River, Mesopotamia
Clement Robertson South African 1917 First World War Queen's Royal Regiment Zonnebeke, Belgium
John Sherwood-Kelly South African 1917 First World War Norfolk Regiment Marcoing, France [15]
Quentin Smythe South African 1942 Second World War Natal Carbineers Alem Hamza, Egypt
Edwin Swales South African 1945 Second World War South African Air Force Pforzheim, Germany
Basil Horsfall Sri Lankan (Ceylonese) 1918* First World War East Lancashire Regiment Ablainzevelle, France
Peter Brown Swedish 1879 Basuto Gun War Cape Mounted Riflemen Morosi's Mountain, South Africa
Christian Schiess Swiss 1879 Anglo-Zulu War Natal Native Contingent Rorke's Drift, South Africa
Filip Konowal Ukrainian 1917 First World War BB04747th (British Columbia) Lens, France [5]
AAE ScotlandList of 58 uncertain nationality recipients AAE AAE AA05 AAE
Frederick Barter Welsh 1915 First World War Royal Welch Fusiliers Festubert, France
Stephen Beattie Welsh 1942 Second World War HMS Campbeltown Saint-Nazaire, France
Robert Bye Welsh 1917 First World War Welsh Guards Yser Canal, Belgium
Edward Chapman Welsh 1945 Second World War Monmouthshire Regiment Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany
James Davies Welsh 1917* First World War Royal Welch Fusiliers Polygon Wood, Belgium
Lewis Evans Welsh 1917 First World War Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Zonnebeke, Belgium
John Fox-Russell Welsh 1917* First World War Royal Army Medical Corps Tel-el-Khuweilfeh, Palestine
William Fuller Welsh 1914 First World War Welch Regiment Chivy-sur-Aisne, France
Robert Jones Welsh 1879 Zulu War BB02424th Regiment of Foot Rorke's Drift, South Africa
Hubert Lewis Welsh 1916 First World War Welch Regiment Macukovo, Greece
John Linton Welsh 1943* Second World War HMS Turbulent At sea
Thomas Monaghan Welsh 1858 Indian Mutiny BB0022nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) Jamo, India
Ivor Rees Welsh 1917 First World War South Wales Borderers Pilkem, Belgium
Lionel Rees Welsh 1916 First World War Royal Flying Corps Double Crassieurs, France
Hugh Rowlands Welsh 1854 Crimean War BB04141st (Welsh) Regiment of Foot Battle of Inkerman, Crimea
Robert Shields Welsh 1855 Crimean War BB02323rd Regiment Sebastopol, Crimea
Jacob Thomas Welsh 1857 Indian Mutiny Bengal Artillery Lucknow, India
Richard Wain Welsh 1917* First World War BB499"A" Battalion, Tank Corps Cambrai/Marcoing, France
Bernard Warburton-Lee Welsh 1940* Second World War British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla Narvik, Norway [16]
William Waring Welsh 1918* First World War Royal Welch Fusiliers Ronssoy, France
Tasker Watkins Welsh 1944 Second World War Welch Regiment Barfour, France
Henry Weale Welsh 1918 First World War Royal Welch Fusiliers Bazentin-le-Grand, France
Jack Williams Welsh 1918 First World War South Wales Borderers Villers Outreaux, France
John Williams Welsh 1879 Zulu War BB02424th Regiment of Foot Rorke's Drift, South Africa
William Williams Welsh 1917 First World War HMS Pargust (HMS Pargust) Atlantic, near France [17]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "No. 27986". The London Gazette. 15 January 1907. p. 325.
  2. ^ Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp.68–90
  3. ^ "No. 31946". The London Gazette. 18 June 1920. p. 6702.
  4. ^ "Museum Honours only Woman to have "Won VC""
  5. ^ a b c d Also considered Canadian recipient.
    Ricketts, Bruce. "American Victoria Cross recipients". Mysteries of Canada. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
  6. ^ Zengel was American born, considered Canadian.
    Bishop, Arthur (September 2005). "On The Offensive In 1918". Legionmagazine. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
  7. ^ "Biography: John Bythesea VC". Royal Naval Museum. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2007.
  8. ^ "SIXTH SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette Of TUESDAY, the 8th of JANUARY, 1918". The London Gazette (30471): 725. 11 January 1918.
  9. ^ "Second report of the Tynwald Honours Committee 2004/2005" (PDF). June 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  10. ^ Brown died in action three weeks after the action that led to his award.
    Lintock, A.H. "Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
  11. ^ Charles Upham is one of only three people to have won the Victoria Cross twice.
    Lintock, A.H. "Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
  12. ^ a b Newfoundlander recipients of the Victoria Cross are sometimes erroneously included with Canadian awards, as Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949.
    "Memorial to fallen Newfoundland soldiers declared National Historic Site". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 9 April 1997. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
  13. ^ Born in London
  14. ^ Buchan 1920, p. 342.
  15. ^ Commanding officer of 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at time
  16. ^ and Captain of HMS Hardy
  17. ^ Besly, Edward (3 February 2004). "A 'mystery' Victoria Cross and a stuffed parrot". National Museums & Galleries of Wales. Archived from the original on 27 May 2007.

References

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