The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) is a second level military decoration

Military decoration

A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....

 of the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 armed forces

British Armed Forces

The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...

. Created in 1993 and first awarded in 1995, it was instituted after a review of the British honours system

British honours system

The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...

 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

Distinguished Conduct Medal

The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...

 (Army) and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal

The Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was, until 1993, a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy at sea...

 (Air and Naval) as second level awards to Other Ranks

Other Ranks

Other Ranks in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force are those personnel who are not commissioned officers. In the Royal Navy, these personnel are called ratings...

 and ratings

Naval rating

A Naval Rating is an enlisted member of a country's Navy, subordinate to Warrant Officers and Officers hence not conferred by commission or warrant...

. The CGC also replaced the Distinguished Service Order

Distinguished Service Order

The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...

 (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.

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. Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters CGC.

Appearance

The medal is in the shape of a cross pattée

Cross pattée

A cross pattée is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the centre, and broader at the perimeter. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper A cross pattée (or "cross patty", known also as "cross formée/formy") is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the...

 in silver. Arranged behind the cross, visible between the arms is a laurel wreath. On the obverse

Obverse and reverse

Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...

 of the medal, the circular medallion in the centre depicts St. Edward's crown

St. Edward's Crown

St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...

. 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 center stripe in crimson.

Recipients

The following is a full list of recipients to date.

Name	Rank	Unit	Gazetted	Conflict
Mills, Wayne Wayne Mills Wayne Mills CGC, a Corporal in the British Army, was the first recipient of the new Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. Second only to the Victoria Cross, it is awarded to military personnel, for conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy....	Corporal Corporal Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....	Duke of Wellington's Regiment Duke of Wellington's Regiment The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...	9 May 1995	Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
Humphreys, Peter	Colour Sergeant Colour Sergeant Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....	Royal Welch Fusiliers Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...	9 May 1996	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Baycroft, John David, MBE MBE MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...	Colour Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	6 Apr 2001	Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...  (Operation Barras Operation Barras Operation Barras was the name given to a hostage rescue operation by the British Special Air Service, Special Boat Service, and Parachute Regiment in Sierra Leone on 10 September 2000... )
MacFarlane, Iain James McKechnie	Squadron Leader Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...	Royal Air Force Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...	6 Apr 2001	Sierra Leone (Operation Barras)
Day, Tony Kenneth	Corporal	Royal Marines Royal Marines The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...	29 Oct 2002	Afghanistan Afghanistan Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
Merchant, Jeremy Mark	Captain Captain (British Army and Royal Marines) Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...	Royal Marines	29 Oct 2002	Afghanistan
Hearne, Karl Anthony	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	29 Oct 2002	Afghanistan
Sanders, Edward Lawrence	Private Private (rank) A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...	Parachute Regiment	29 Oct 2002	Afghanistan
Thomas, Justin Royston	Marine Royal Marines The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...	Royal Marines	31 Oct 2003	Iraq Iraq Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
Flynn, Michael John	Lance Corporal of Horse	Blues and Royals Blues and Royals The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...	31 Oct 2003	Iraq
Jardine, Shaun Garry	Corporal	King's Own Scottish Borderers King's Own Scottish Borderers The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...	23 Apr 2004	Iraq
Robertson, Gordon	Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....	Parachute Regiment	23 Apr 2004	Iraq
Greensmith, Benjamin Paul	Corporal	Parachute Regiment	7 Mar 2008 (dated 7 Sep 2004)	Iraq
Broome, Christopher Mark	Sergeant	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment "PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...	15 Mar 2005	Iraq
Bryan, Terry	Sergeant	Royal Artillery Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...	15 Mar 2005	Iraq
Thomson, Terence Alan	Corporal	Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	15 Mar 2005	Iraq
Tomlinson, Matthew Robert	Colour Sergeant	Royal Marines	24 Mar 2006	Iraq
Radford, Andrew	Lance Corporal of Horse	Life Guards Life Guards (British Army) The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army and with the Blues and Royals, they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of Horse Guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards which were raised some...	14 Dec 2006	Afghanistan
Collins, John	Corporal	The Parachute Regiment	14 Dec 2006	Iraq
Harkess, James Royce	Colour Sergeant	Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment	14 Dec 2006	Iraq
Farmer, Hugo	Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...	Parachute Regiment	14 Dec 2006	Afghanistan
Illingworth, Timothy	Acting Captain	The Light Infantry The Light Infantry The Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Light Division. It was formed on 10 July 1968 as a "large regiment" by the amalgamation of the four remaining light infantry regiments of the Light Infantry Brigade:...	14 Dec 2006	Afghanistan
Collective Award		Royal Irish Regiment/Ulster Defence Regiment Ulster Defence Regiment The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...		Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Thompson, John Thomas	Corporal	Royal Marines	19 Jul 2007	Afghanistan
Hollingsworth, Jonathan Stuart Jon Hollingsworth Sergeant Jonathan Hollingsworth CGC, QGMDescribed as "an SAS hero" by a British tabloid newspaper, the former paratrooper reportedly sustained gunshot wounds during a raid to capture terror leaders in Basra and later died of his injuries at a nearby military hospital.Sources suggest he had been... , QGM Queen's Gallantry Medal The Queen's Gallantry Medal is the third level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.It was instituted on 20 June 1974 to replace the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, the British Empire Medal for Gallantry, and the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry...	Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	19 Jul 2007	Iraq (posthumous)
Campbell, Donald Peter	Acting Corporal	Royal Engineers Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....	7 Mar 2008	Afghanistan
Cupples, Simon Timothy	Lieutenant	Mercian Regiment Mercian Regiment The Mercian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of three existing regiments on 1 September 2007.The regiment has three regular army battalion's and one Territorial Army or reserve battalion...	7 Mar 2008	Afghanistan
Willmott, Paul Darren	Private	Mercian Regiment	7 Mar 2008	Afghanistan
Miller, Adam William	Corporal	Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...	7 Mar 2008	Iraq
Wadsworth, James Anthony	Staff Sergeant Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...	Royal Logistic Corps Royal Logistic Corps The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...	7 Mar 2008	Iraq
McClurg, Robert William Kerr	Corporal	Royal Irish Regiment	6 Mar 2009	Afghanistan
Stevens, Alwyn John	Acting Sergeant	Royal Irish Regiment	6 Mar 2009	Afghanistan
Toge, Jone Bruce	Lance Corporal	Royal Irish Regiment	6 Mar 2009	Afghanistan
Durber, Leonard John	Colour Sergeant	Parachute Regiment	6 Mar 2009	Iraq
Malone, Bradley	Acting Corporal	Royal Marines	11 Sep 2009	Afghanistan
Nethery, Steven	Marine	Royal Marines	11 Sep 2009	Afghanistan
Dennis, Alan Gordon	Sergeant	Mercian Regiment	19 Mar 2010	Afghanistan
Gadsby, Stephen William	Gunner	Royal Artillery	19 Mar 2010	Afghanistan
Giles, Marc Kevin	Sergeant	Mercian Regiment	19 Mar 2010	Afghanistan
Moncho, Jaime	Serjeant Serjeant Serjeant may be:*The holder of a serjeanty, a type of feudal land-holding in England*A generally obsolete spelling of Sergeant, although still used in some English regiments, and for Serjeant-at-Arms...	The Rifles The Rifles The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...	19 Mar 2010	Afghanistan
Prout, Gary	Lance Bombardier	Royal Artillery	19 Mar 2010	Afghanistan
Smith, Kyle Patrick	Lance Corporal	Mercian Regiment	19 Mar 2010	Afghanistan
Turner, Robert	Sergeant	Royal Marines	24 Sep 2010	Afghanistan
Bourne-Taylor, Robin Edwin Geoffrey Robin Bourne-Taylor Robin Edwin Geoffrey Bourne-Taylor, CGC was a British officer and sportsman. He is a three times Boat Race winner, and for his service in Afghanistan he was awarded the second-highest British gallantry medal.-Education:Bourne-Taylor was educated at Abingdon School and Christ Church, Oxford where...	Captain	The Life Guards	24 Sep 2010	Afghanistan
Brownson, Lee	Corporal	The Rifles	24 Sep 2010	Afghanistan (posthumous)
Horn, Graham Stuart	Lance Corporal	The Parachute Regiment	24 Sep 2010	Afghanistan
McKie, James Lee	Lance Corporal	The Rifles	24 Sep 2010	Afghanistan
Pun, Dip Prasad Dip Prasad Pun Dipprasad Pun CGC is a Nepalese corporal of the Royal Gurkha Rifles who was decorated with the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for an act of bravery during the War in Afghanistan on the night of September 17, 2010...	Acting Sergeant	Royal Gurkha Rifles Royal Gurkha Rifles The Royal Gurkha Rifles is a regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Royal Gurkha Rifles are now the sole infantry regiment of the British Army Gurkhas...	25 March 2011	Afghanistan
Jackson, Mark Anthony	Marine	Royal Marines	25 March 2011	Afghanistan
Stephens, Seth Vincent Scott	Corporal	Royal Marines	25 March 2011	Afghanistan

See also

• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations