George Cross

The George Cross (GC) is the highest British award for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the GC, since its introduction in 1940, has been equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for valour. It is awarded for "acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger", not in the presence of the enemy, to members of the British Armed Forces and to British civilians. Posthumous awards have been allowed since it was instituted. Since the Second World War, most Commonwealth countries have created their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. The last GC recommended by a Commonwealth country was by New Zealand for the 1990 posthumous award to Stewart Guthrie for gallantry during the Aramoana massacre. That award was gazetted in 1992. Although civilians may be awarded the GC, there has been just one civilian recipient since Guthrie: Dominic Troulan, for his actions in the Westgate shopping mall attack in 2013 (gazetted in 2017). There have been eight GC awards to the Royal Marines and British Army since 2000. Many of the awards have been personally presented by the British monarch to recipients or, in the case of posthumous awards, to next of kin. The investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.