Tag Archives: Gallantry
The Story of Donald Bell VC
THE STORY OF DONALD SIMPSON BELL VC When the British Army launched its great Somme offensive in the summer of 1916, few people could have envisaged the devastation battle would bring. The opening day alone saw British casualties of almost 60,000 and by the time the slaughter had ground to a bloody halt in the […]
Continue readingThe Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross was instituted by Queen Victoria on 29 January 1856 and is the highest British military award available for gallantry. 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…’, the cross was available to all ranks of the […]
Continue readingThe Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Instituted by Royal Warrant on 7 July 1874, the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM) was awarded to non-commissioned officers and men of Britain and her Empire for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy at sea or in the air. The medal was the other ranks’ equivalent of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and was ranked between the British Army’s Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) […]
Continue readingThe Air Force Medal
The Air Force Medal (AFM) was instituted on 3 June 1918 and was awarded to British and Commonwealth forces below commissioned rank for ‘an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy.’ The other ranks’ equivalent of the Air Force Cross (AFC), the medal was awarded on just 20 occasions during […]
Continue reading