Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest decoration awarded by Britain and is given for acts of gallantry, of the highest order, in the face of the enemy.
The Victoria Cross was instituted in 1856 and was very much the idea of Queen Victoria is whose honour it is named. The Cross is quite simple in design and on the front, the obverse, carries a two-word motto ‘For
Valour’ which sums up exactly what the award is about.
The Crosses are made of bronze, rather than a precious metal, because the ‘value’ of the Cross is in the action for which it was bestowed and not in the metal of the medal itself.
Initially people who were serving in the navy were awarded the medal with a dark blue ribbon and this is the colour of the ribbon of Tom Crisp’s award. All Army awards have a crimson ribbon and from 1920 all awards had the crimson ribbon whether for Army, Navy or Air Force recipients. See also: All medals, Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Service Cross, Military Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Military Medal, Mention in Despatches