Victoria Cross (VC).

The premier award for gallantry, the VC may be awarded to all ranks of the services and civilians for gallantry in the presence of the enemy. It may be awarded posthumously.

Description: A cross pattée in bronze. The obverse of the medal (shown here) bears a lion statant gardant on the royal crown, with the words 'FOR VALOUR' on a semi-circular scroll. The reverse bears a circular panel inside which is engraved the date of the act for which the decoration was awarded. The reverse of the suspender is engraved with the rank, name and ship, regiment or squadron of the recipient. Clasp. A bronze bar ornamented with laurels may be issued to VC holders performing a further act of such bravery which would have merited award of the VC.

Ribbon. Plain crimson. Prior to 1918, a dark blue ribbon had been issued for the Royal Navy. When the ribbon alone is worn a replica of the cross in miniature is affixed to the centre of the ribbon.

History. Instituted by Queen Victoria to cover all actions since the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854, the Victoria Cross has been awarded 1356 times and 3 bars have been awarded. The VC is made from the bronze of Russian guns captured at Sebastopol, though modern research suggests that Chinese guns may have been used at various times.

Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC).

Awarded to all ranks of the RN, RM, Army, and RAF in recognition of acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy.

Description: A cross pattée in silver mounted on a wreath of laurel leaves. The obverse of the medal (shown here) bears in the centre a circular medallion depicting St. Edward's crown. The reverse is plain in design and bears the rank, name and unit of the recipient. The date of the award is also engraved. Clasp. A silver bar may be issued to CGC holders performing a further act of such gallantry which would have merited award of the CGC, though none have been awarded to date.

Ribbon. White with narrow stripes of dark blue at each edge and a central stripe of crimson.

History. Instituted in 1993 as part of the review of gallantry awards, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC) replaced three previous awards: the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry (issued to officers), the Distinguished Conduct Medal (Army other ranks) and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (RN other ranks). The CGC is at the level below the Victoria Cross.

George Medal (GM).

Awarded to civilians for acts of great bravery, but not so outstanding as to merit consideration for the George Cross. The GM is also awarded to military personnel for those acts for which military honours would not normally granted, such as acts of great bravery not in presence of the enemy.

Description: Silver and circular in shape. The obverse of the medal (shown here) shows the crowned effigy of the current reigning monarch (although King George VI is shown here). The reverse bears the image of St. George on horseback slaying the Dragon, circumscribed by the words 'The George Medal'. Clasp. A silver bar decorated with laurel leaves may be issued to GM holders performing a further act of such bravery which would have merited award of the GM. When the ribbon alone is worn, a silver rosette denotes award of the Clasp.

Ribbon. Crimson with five narrow stripes of blue.

History. The George Medal was introduced at the same time as the George Cross when, during the summer of 1940 as Britain came under intense air attack, Winston Churchill thought that a new medal to recognise the many acts of gallantry being performed by civilians should be introduced. The King agreed and in January 1941 the Warrants relating to award of the GC, for outstanding gallantry, and the GM, for outstanding bravery, were published.

George Cross (GC).

Awarded to the highest gallantry award for civilians, the GC is also awarded to military personnel for those acts for which military honours would not normally granted, such as acts of gallantry not in presence of the enemy.

Description: A plain, bordered cross in silver. The obverse of the medal (shown here) bears in the centre a circular medallion depicting St. George and the Dragon surrounded by the words 'FOR GALLANTRY'. In the angle of each limb of the cross is the Royal Cypher 'GVI'. The reverse is plain in design and bears the rank, name and service, or description, if appropriate, of the recipient. The date of notification of the award in the London Gazette, rather than the date of the act of gallantry, is also engraved. Clasp. A silver bar ornamented with laurels in the same design as the suspender may be issued to GC holders performing a further act of such bravery which would have merited award of the GC, though none have been awarded to date.

Ribbon. Dark blue. When the ribbon alone is worn a replica of the cross in miniature is affixed to the centre of the ribbon.

History. As Britain came under intense air attack during the summer of 1940, Winston Churchill thought that a new medal to recognise the many acts of gallantry being performed by civilians should be introduced. Although awards to recognise civilian gallantry not in presence of the enemy already existed, none held the prestige of the equivalent award for gallantry in battle, the Victoria Cross. The King agreed and in January 1941 the Warrant relating to award of the George Cross was published. To date, 157 GCs have been awarded directly, including four to women, with 47 of those awarded since 1947. The three most recent recipients of the GC have been Army personnel serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Military Cross (MC).

Awarded to all ranks of the RN, RM, Army, and RAF in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land.

Description: An ornamental cross in silver with straight arms terminating in broad finals ornamented with Imperial Crowns. At the centre on the cross is the Royal Cypher (King George VI shown here). The reverse of the cross is plain in design, though at certain times the year of the award has been engraved. Clasp. A silver bar ornamented by the Crown may be issued to MC holders performing a further act of such gallantry, which would have merited award of the MC.

Ribbon. A central stripe of deep purple flanked by equally sized stripes of white.

History. Instituted in 1914, the Military Cross (MC) was issued for gallantry in presence of the enemy to warrant and junior officers of the Army who were ineligible (on account of their rank) for the Distinguished Service Order. During the First World War, it was also available to equivalent ranks in the Royal Naval Division and Royal Marines and it later became available to equivalent ranks in the RAF for acts of gallantry on land. The equivalent award for the other ranks for gallantry on land in presence of the enemy was the Military Medal (MM) which had been instituted in 1916 and, similarly to the MC, later became available to RAF other ranks serving on the ground. Following the 1993 review, the MM was discontinued and the MC became available to all ranks of all services for exemplary gallantry on land in presence of the enemy. It is at a level below the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and is at the equivalent level to the Distinguished Service Cross (for exemplary gallantry at sea) and the Distinguished Flying Cross (for exemplary gallantry in the air).

Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM).

Awarded to civilians for acts of exemplary bravery, at a level below that of the George Medal. The QGM is also awarded to military personnel for those acts for which military honours would not normally be granted, such as acts of exemplary bravery not in presence of the enemy.

Description: Silver and circular in shape, the obverse of the medal shows the crowned effigy of the monarch. The reverse (shown here) bears the image of an imperial crown above the words 'The Queen's Gallantry Medal' flanked by laurel sprigs. Clasp. Silver bar decorated with laurel leaves may be issued to QGM holders performing a further act of such bravery, which would have merited award of the QGM. When the ribbon alone is worn, a silver rosette denotes award of the Clasp.

Ribbon. Blue with a central stripe of pearl grey bisected by a narrow stripe of rose pink.

History. The QGM was instituted in 1974 to recognise acts of gallantry of a slightly lower degree than that required for the George Cross and George Medal. Previously, these acts of bravery had been recognised by awards in the Order of the British Empire, with the choice of level in that Order being determined not by the degree of gallantry displayed, but by the rank or level of responsibility held by the individual. By 1974, it was recognised that ranks and levels of responsibility were not relevant when making awards for gallantry, so awards in the Order of the British Empire were discontinued on the introduction of the new Queen's Gallantry Medal.

Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

After the 1993 review, the DSO ceased to be awarded for gallantry - replaced by the new all service, all ranks Conspicuous Gallantry Cross at the level below the VC.

Although theoretically available to all ranks, the DSO, now awarded for distinguished leadership during active operations against the enemy, is likely to be awarded only to the more senior officers ranks.

Description: A gold cross, with curved edges, overlaid in white enamel. The obverse of the medal has at the centre of the cross a raised laurel wreath, enamelled green, surrounding the Imperial Crown in gold, on a red enamelled background. The reverse has a similar raised centre with the laurel wreath surrounding the Royal Cypher 'VRI'. The suspender is decorated with laurel leaves, and a bar of the same design is positioned at the top of the ribbon. Clasp. A gold bar ornamented by the Crown may be issued to DSO holders performing a further act of such leadership, which would have merited award of the DSO.

Ribbon. Crimson flanked by narrow dark blue stripes at the edges.

History. The DSO was instituted originally to reward junior officers in the Army for distinguished service or acts of gallantry against the enemy. While the Order of the Bath had been available for senior officers and the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the other ranks, no award below the level of the Victoria Cross (VC) had existed for junior officers. The DSO was also made available to junior officers of the other services.

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

Awarded to all ranks of the RN, RM, Army, and RAF in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy in the air.

Description: A cross flory, in silver, the horizontal and base bars terminating in bombs, the upper bar in a rose. This cross is surmounted by another, composed of aeroplane propellers, charged in the centre with a roundel within a laurel leaf, from which two wings stretch across the horizontal bars. At the centre of the roundel is the RAF monogram surmounted by the Imperial Crown. The reverse of the cross has at its centre an encircled Royal Cypher above the year '1918'. Clasp. A silver bar ornamented by an eagle may be issued to DFC holders performing a further act of such valour which would have merited award of the DFC.

Ribbon. Alternate narrow diagonal stripes of white and deep purple.

History. Instituted in 1918, the DFC was issued for acts of valour while flying in operations against the enemy to warrant officers and officers of the Royal Air Force. It was later made available to equivalent ranks in the Royal Navy and Army for acts of valour in the air. Following the 1993 review, the DFM was discontinued and the DFC became available to all ranks of all services for exemplary gallantry in the air in presence of the enemy. It is at a level below the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and is at the equivalent level to the Distinguished Service Cross (for exemplary gallantry at sea) and the Military Cross (for exemplary gallantry on land).