Elizabeth Cross
Encyclopedia
The Elizabeth Cross is a commemorative emblem given to the recognised next of kin
of members of the British Armed Forces
killed in action or as a result of a terrorist attack after the Second World War. It bears the name of the current British monarch
, Queen Elizabeth II
.
in the shape of a cross backed by a representation of a laurel wreath
, and carries floral emblems of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, an appearance similar to the earlier Canadian Memorial Cross
. The trial crosses, and the first few to be issued, were made by jewellers Gladman and Norman of Birmingham; the company was awarded the long-term production contract in October 2009.
Families receive a large version of the cross, and a pin-on miniature, together with a Memorial Scroll signed by The Queen which bears the name of the person who died.
The scroll bears the words:
The words were chosen by the previous Poet Laureate
, Andrew Motion
, and approved by the Chief of the Defence Staff
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Jock Stirrup and the three service chiefs
.
on 1 July 2009, but eligibility is retrospective to deaths from the end of the Second World War. Previously, for those who died in the First World War relatives were presented with a memorial scroll and bronze plaque
, and for Second World War and Korean War
deaths, relatives received a scroll. The creation of the award was announced in a written statement to the House of Commons by Secretary of State for Defence
Bob Ainsworth
on 1 July, and also in a broadcast on the British Forces Broadcasting Service
made by the Queen. The idea for a new award was first approved on 10 June 2008, and it was expected that the details would be confirmed later that year.
The formal Royal Warrant
under the Royal Sign Manual establishing the Elizabeth Cross, dated 1 July 2009, was gazetted
on 31 July 2009. Among other things, the Royal Warrant states that relatives of members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
will also be eligible to receive the award.
, Innsworth
on 1 August 2009.
Next of kin have the choice of a public presentation by the local Lord Lieutenant
or a senior officer, or a private ceremony. Only the recognised next of kin receive the cross and miniature, but other relatives are able to request the issue of additional scrolls. Awards for those killed since 2000 are processed automatically by the Ministry of Defence
, relatives of those killed earlier have to contact the MoD themselves. Relatives of those killed in Korea will already have received a scroll, so are presented with the cross only.
The first public presentation of an Elizabeth Cross was on 18 August 2009 in a ceremony at Catterick Garrison
. It was awarded to Karen Upton, the widow of Warrant Officer Sean Upton who was killed while on active service in Helmand Province
, Afghanistan
. It was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire
, the Lord Crathorne
, and the Master Gunner, St. James's Park
, General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman
.
The first presentations of the Elizabeth Cross to be made personally by Queen Elizabeth II took place on 12 September 2009.
The precise eligibility requirements issued by the Ministry of Defence are:
The service must have been undertaken on or after 1 January 1948 in general, or after 27 September 1945 in Palestine (other personnel from 1945–1948 were officially recognised as serving in the Second World War).
In accordance with the Royal Warrant establishing the Elizabeth Cross, it is awarded upon recommendation made to the Queen by the Secretary of State for Defence. Thus, the judgement concerning the fulfilment of the eligibility requirements in any particular case is made by the Ministry of Defence, and the formal award of the Elizabeth Cross is ordered by the Queen upon the advice of the Defence Secretary. As directed by the Royal Warrant, the names of all those who are commemorated with the award of the Elizabeth Cross are recorded in a Registry kept by the Ministry of Defence.
Also in accordance with the Royal Warrant that established the Elizabeth Cross, the Cross and its miniature version may be worn by the recipient (i.e., the deceased's designated next of kin) at that person’s discretion.
CGC personnel whose deaths are officially attributed to their military service.
CGC for the Elizabeth Cross have failed due to the following reasons:
Next of kin
Next of kin is a term with many interpretations depending on the jurisdiction being referred to. In some jurisdictions, such as the United States, it is used to describe a person's closest living blood relative or relatives...
of members of the British 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...
killed in action or as a result of a terrorist attack after the Second World War. It bears the name of the current British monarch
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
, Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.
Appearance
Designed by Dayna White of Gladman & Norman Ltd., the award is made of sterling silverSterling silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925....
in the shape of a cross backed by a representation of a laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
, and carries floral emblems of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, an appearance similar to the earlier Canadian Memorial Cross
Memorial Cross
The Memorial Cross , often known as the Silver Cross, is a Canadian medal awarded to the mother, widow, widower, or next of kin of any member of the Canadian Forces who loses his or her life in active service, including peacekeeping, and other such international operations.-Design:The Memorial...
. The trial crosses, and the first few to be issued, were made by jewellers Gladman and Norman of Birmingham; the company was awarded the long-term production contract in October 2009.
Families receive a large version of the cross, and a pin-on miniature, together with a Memorial Scroll signed by The Queen which bears the name of the person who died.
The scroll bears the words:
The words were chosen by the previous Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
, Andrew Motion
Andrew Motion
Sir Andrew Motion, FRSL is an English poet, novelist and biographer, who presided as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2009.- Life and career :...
, and approved by the Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Jock Stirrup and the three service chiefs
Chiefs of Staff Committee
The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British Armed Forces.-History:The Chiefs of Staff Committee was initially established as a sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence in 1923. It remained as such until the abolition of the CID upon the...
.
Institution and related awards
The award was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on 1 July 2009, but eligibility is retrospective to deaths from the end of the Second World War. Previously, for those who died in the First World War relatives were presented with a memorial scroll and bronze plaque
Memorial Plaque
The Memorial Plaque was issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all British and Empire service personnel who were killed as a result of the war....
, and for Second World War and Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
deaths, relatives received a scroll. The creation of the award was announced in a written statement to the House of Commons by Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
Bob Ainsworth
Bob Ainsworth
Robert William Ainsworth is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Coventry North East since 1992, and was the Secretary of State for Defence from 2009 to 2010...
on 1 July, and also in a broadcast on the British Forces Broadcasting Service
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service provides radio and television programmes for HM Forces, and their dependents, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Tristan da Cunha as well as a live satellite...
made by the Queen. The idea for a new award was first approved on 10 June 2008, and it was expected that the details would be confirmed later that year.
The formal Royal Warrant
Warrant (law)
Most often, the term warrant refers to a specific type of authorization; a writ issued by a competent officer, usually a judge or magistrate, which permits an otherwise illegal act that would violate individual rights and affords the person executing the writ protection from damages if the act is...
under the Royal Sign Manual establishing the Elizabeth Cross, dated 1 July 2009, was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 31 July 2009. Among other things, the Royal Warrant states that relatives of members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment...
will also be eligible to receive the award.
Award and eligibility
The first crosses were issued by the Ministry of Defence Medal Office at Imjin BarracksRAF Innsworth
Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire became the home of the Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in 2010.The Barracks were named after the Battle of Imjin because of the connection with the Gloucestershire Regiment which formed part of the United Nations contingent in the Korean War, and was...
, Innsworth
Innsworth
Innsworth is a suburb of Gloucester, it is a civil parish and forms part of the borough of Tewkesbury.It contains Imjin Barracks, the home of HQ ARRC, which moved from Germany in 2010...
on 1 August 2009.
Next of kin have the choice of a public presentation by the local Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
or a senior officer, or a private ceremony. Only the recognised next of kin receive the cross and miniature, but other relatives are able to request the issue of additional scrolls. Awards for those killed since 2000 are processed automatically by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, relatives of those killed earlier have to contact the MoD themselves. Relatives of those killed in Korea will already have received a scroll, so are presented with the cross only.
The first public presentation of an Elizabeth Cross was on 18 August 2009 in a ceremony at Catterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
. It was awarded to Karen Upton, the widow of Warrant Officer Sean Upton who was killed while on active service in Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
, 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...
. It was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire
Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire
The position of Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire was created on 1 April 1974.Since 1996 the position has included the areas south of the River Tees in the former county of Cleveland...
, the Lord Crathorne
James Dugdale, 2nd Baron Crathorne
Charles James Dugdale, 2nd Baron Crathorne, KStJ, FSA, FRSA is Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire. He is also one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999...
, and the Master Gunner, St. James's Park
Master Gunner, St. James's Park
The Master Gunner , St James's Park is the ceremonial head of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and channel of communication between the Regiment and the Captain General ....
, General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman
Timothy Granville-Chapman
General Sir Timothy John Granville-Chapman, GBE, KCB, ADC Gen is a former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces. He presently holds the ceremonial position of Master Gunner, St James's Park.- Military career :...
.
The first presentations of the Elizabeth Cross to be made personally by Queen Elizabeth II took place on 12 September 2009.
The precise eligibility requirements issued by the Ministry of Defence are:
The service must have been undertaken on or after 1 January 1948 in general, or after 27 September 1945 in Palestine (other personnel from 1945–1948 were officially recognised as serving in the Second World War).
In accordance with the Royal Warrant establishing the Elizabeth Cross, it is awarded upon recommendation made to the Queen by the Secretary of State for Defence. Thus, the judgement concerning the fulfilment of the eligibility requirements in any particular case is made by the Ministry of Defence, and the formal award of the Elizabeth Cross is ordered by the Queen upon the advice of the Defence Secretary. As directed by the Royal Warrant, the names of all those who are commemorated with the award of the Elizabeth Cross are recorded in a Registry kept by the Ministry of Defence.
Also in accordance with the Royal Warrant that established the Elizabeth Cross, the Cross and its miniature version may be worn by the recipient (i.e., the deceased's designated next of kin) at that person’s discretion.
Successful applications
Up to May 2010, 232 Elizabeth Crosses and Memorial Scrolls have been issued to the families of The Ulster Defence RegimentUlster 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...
CGC personnel whose deaths are officially attributed to their military service.
Failed Applications
Up to November 2010, 37 applications linked to The Ulster Defence RegimentUlster 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...
CGC for the Elizabeth Cross have failed due to the following reasons:
- 22 died of natural causes whilst 'off duty'
- 7 were killed on road accidents whilst 'off duty'
- 4 were accidental deaths whilst 'off duty'
- 2 died outside the Northern Ireland operational areaOperation BannerOperation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from August 1969 to July 2007. It was initially deployed at the request of the Unionist government of Northern Ireland to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary . After the 1998 Belfast Agreement,...
- 2 died after they were discharged from service.