Conspicuous Gallantry Cross

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military award 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.<ref name=MoDMedalOffice>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref name=MoDMedalOffice/> 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.<ref>Online Medals: Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, (Accessed 8 June 2018).</ref> Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters CGC.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Appearance

File:A Soldier Proudly Holds His Medals MOD 45153192.jpg

The CGC (left) as worn on a dress uniform with campaign medals. The medals shown are those awarded to Lance Corporal of Horse Andrew Radford, CGC.

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.<ref name=MoDMedalOffice/>

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	Place
Mills, Wayne<ref name="5 May 1995">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)	9 May 1995	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Humphreys, Peter<ref name="LG 9 May 1996">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Colour Sergeant	Royal Welch Fusiliers	9 May 1996	Bosnia and Herzegovina
<ref>James Harvey</ref>Harvey,James	Petty Officer	Royal Navy	11 Feb 2000	Great Britain
Baycroft, John David, MBE<ref name="24 March 2006">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Colour Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	6 April 2001	Sierra Leone (Operation Barras)
MacFarlane, Iain James McKechnie<ref name="9 September 2005">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Squadron Leader	Royal Air Force	6 April 2001	Sierra Leone (Operation Barras)
Day, Tony Kenneth<ref name="18 March 2005 p 3378">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Royal Marines	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Merchant, Jeremy Mark<ref name="18 March 2005 p 3378"/>	Captain	Royal Marines	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Hearne, Karl Anthony<ref name="24 March 2006"/>	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Sanders, Edward Lawrence<ref name="18 March 2005 p 3378"/>	Private	Parachute Regiment	29 October 2002	Afghanistan
Thomas, Justin Royston<ref name="31 October 2003">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Marine	Royal Marines	31 October 2003	Iraq
Flynn, Michael John<ref name="31 October 2003"/>	Lance Corporal of Horse	Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons)	31 October 2003	Iraq
Jardine, Shaun Garry<ref name="23 April 2004">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	King's Own Scottish Borderers	23 April 2004	Iraq
Robertson, Gordon<ref name="23 April 2004"/>	Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	23 April 2004	Iraq
Greensmith, Benjamin Paul<ref name="LG 7 March 2008 p 3619">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	7 March 2008	Iraq
Broome, Christopher Mark<ref name="18 March 2005">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Sergeant	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)	18 March 2005	Iraq
Bryan, Terry<ref name="18 March 2005"/>	Sergeant	Royal Artillery	18 March 2005	Iraq
Thomson, Terence Alan<ref name="18 March 2005"/>	Corporal	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)	18 March 2005	Iraq
Tomlinson, Matthew Robert<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>	Colour Sergeant	Royal Marines	24 March 2006	Iraq
Radford, Andrew<ref name="LG 15 December 2006">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Lance Corporal of Horse	Life Guards	14 December 2006	Afghanistan
Collins, John<ref name="LG 15 December 2006 p 17359">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	14 December 2006	Iraq
Harkess, James Royce<ref name="LG 15 December 2006 p 17359"/>	Colour Sergeant	Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)	14 December 2006	Iraq
Farmer, Hugo<ref name="LG 15 December 2006"/>	Lieutenant	Parachute Regiment	14 December 2006	Afghanistan
Illingworth, Timothy<ref name="LG 15 December 2006"/>	Acting Captain	The Light Infantry	14 December 2006	Afghanistan
Unit award<ref>It 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: Template:London Gazette</ref>		Royal Irish Regiment/Ulster Defence Regiment	19 December 2006	Northern Ireland
Thompson, John Thomas<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Royal Marines	19 July 2007	Afghanistan
Hollingsworth, Jonathan Stuart,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> QGM	Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	19 July 2007	Iraq (posthumous)
Campbell, Donald Peter<ref name="LG 7 March 2008">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Acting Corporal	Royal Engineers	7 March 2008	Afghanistan
Cupples, Simon Timothy<ref name="LG 7 March 2008"/>	Lieutenant	Mercian Regiment	7 March 2008	Afghanistan
Willmott, Paul Darren<ref name="LG 7 March 2008"/>	Private	Mercian Regiment	7 March 2008	Afghanistan
Miller, Adam William<ref name="LG 7 March 2008 p 3615">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers	7 March 2008	Iraq
Wadsworth, James Anthony<ref name="LG 7 March 2008 p 3615"/>	Staff Sergeant	Royal Logistic Corps	7 March 2008	Iraq
McClurg, Robert William Kerr<ref name="LG 16 March 2009">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)	6 March 2009	Afghanistan
Stevens, Alwyn John<ref name="LG 16 March 2009"/>	Acting Sergeant	Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)	6 March 2009	Afghanistan
Toge, Jone Bruce<ref name="LG 16 March 2009"/>	Lance Corporal	Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)	6 March 2009	Afghanistan
Durber, Leonard John<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>	Colour Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	6 March 2009	Iraq
Malone, Bradley<ref name="LG 13 October 2009">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Acting Corporal	Royal Marines	11 September 2009	Afghanistan
Nethery, Steven<ref name="LG 11 September 2009">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Marine	Royal Marines	11 September 2009	Afghanistan
Dennis, Alan Gordon<ref name="LG 19 March 2010">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Sergeant	Mercian Regiment	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Gadsby, Stephen William<ref name="LG 19 March 2010"/>	Gunner	Royal Artillery	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Giles, Marc Kevin<ref name="LG 19 March 2010"/>	Sergeant	Mercian Regiment	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Moncho, Jaime<ref name="LG 19 March 2010"/>	Sergeant<ref>Spelling is correct: this form is used by The Rifles.</ref>	The Rifles	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Prout, Gary<ref name="LG 19 March 2010"/>	Lance Bombardier	Royal Artillery	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Smith, Kyle Patrick<ref name="LG 19 March 2010"/>	Lance Corporal	Mercian Regiment	19 March 2010	Afghanistan
Turner, Robert<ref name="LG 24 September 2010">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Sergeant	Royal Marines	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
Bourne-Taylor, Robin Edwin Geoffrey<ref name="LG 24 September 2010" />	Captain	Life Guards	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
Brownson, Lee<ref name="LG 24 September 2010" />	Corporal	The Rifles	24 September 2010	Afghanistan (posthumous)
Horn, Graham Stuart<ref name="LG 24 September 2010" />	Lance Corporal	Parachute Regiment	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
McKie, James Lee<ref name="LG 24 September 2010" />	Lance Corporal	The Rifles	24 September 2010	Afghanistan
Pun, Dip Prasad<ref name="LG 25 Mar 11">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Acting Sergeant	Royal Gurkha Rifles	25 March 2011	Afghanistan
Jackson, Mark Anthony<ref name="LG 25 Mar 11"/>	Marine	Royal Marines	25 March 2011	Afghanistan
Stephens, Seth Vincent Scott<ref name="LG 25 Mar 11"/>	Corporal	Royal Marines	25 March 2011	Afghanistan (posthumous)
Cutterham, Deacon<ref name="LG 23 Mar 12"/>	Sergeant	The Rifles	23 March 2012	Afghanistan
Wright-Hider, Simon<ref name="LG 23 Mar 12">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Royal Marines	23 March 2012	Afghanistan
Couzens, Scott Allan<ref name="LG 28 September 2012">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Staff Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	28 September 2012	Afghanistan
Glancy, James Alexander<ref name="LG 22 March 2013"/>	Captain	Royal Marines	22 March 2013	Afghanistan
Mason, Luke Timothy John<ref name="LG 22 March 2013">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Lieutenant	Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot)	22 March 2013	Afghanistan
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>|| Lieutenant||Royal Marines|| 4 October 2013 ||Afghanistan
Griffiths, Josh Edward Hayden<ref name="4 October 2013"/>	Corporal	Mercian Regiment	4 October 2013	Afghanistan
Steel, Gareth David<ref name="4 October 2013"/>	Private	Parachute Regiment	4 October 2013	Afghanistan
Stazicker, Anthony<ref name="LG 21 Mar 14">Template:London Gazette</ref>	Corporal	Special Boat Service	21 March 2014	Afghanistan
Moloney, Simon George<ref name="LG 21 Mar 14"/>	Lance Corporal	Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons)	21 March 2014	Afghanistan
Craighead, Christian MBE<ref>Pending Gazette Entry (Due end of 2022) https://www.forces.net/news/sas-hero-who-secured-kenyan-hotel-receive-top-award</ref><ref>Pseudonym used to protect identity</ref>	Warrant Officer Class 2	Special Air Service | Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)	14 November 2019	Kenya

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom

References

• Mackay, J and Mussell, J (eds) – Medal Yearbook – 2007, (2006), Token Publishing, Honiton, Devon