The youngest winners were 15 years old (A. Fitzgibbon and T. Flinn). The oldest was 61 (W. Raynor).
There have been four instances where VCs have been won by brothers (for separate actions).
The term "gazetted" applies to the publishing of an individual's award in the London Gazette.
The ribbon was originally red for the Army and blue for the Royal Navy but when the Royal Air Force was formed in 1918 it was changed to red for all the services.
The VC can be bestowed by ballot, when the act of gallantry has been performed by a body of men (forty-six have been awarded).
The top units for awardees are the Royal Artillery with 51, the Royal Engineers with 41, and then the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Rifle Brigade with 27 each.
Five civilians have been awarded the VC;
Mr R L Mangles
Mr W F McDonell
Mr T H Kavanagh
These 3 men were from the Bengal Civil Service
Mr G B Chicken, a volunteer of the Indian Naval Brigade.
Rev. J W Adams of the Bengal Ecclesiastical Dept.
The first 4 were during the Indian Mutiny in 1857 and the 5th in Afghanistan in 1879.
Since 1916 miniature VCs have been worn instead of the full-sized medals with evening dress or mess dress.
On the front of the VC reads the inscription "For Valour" and the hand engraved details of the recipient on the back (name, rank, number, unit and the date of the action).
When the VC was first instituted a special pension of £10 per annum was made payable to all non-commissioned ranks. In July 1898 it was decided this amount might be increased in times of need, at discretion, to £50 then later to £75.
Increases in pension.
1959 - the pension was allowed irrespective of rank and increased to £100.
1995 - it was increased to £1,300 and at that time there were 33 recipients still alive.
2002 - another review had taken place and the pension was increased to £1,495. A rise of some 15%.
2007 - the latest increase we believe has been made but the amount is currently being researched.
An award was made in 1921 to the Unknown Warrior of the United States of America and this was laid on the tomb in Arlington Cemetery by Admiral Lord Beatty on 11th November 1921.
The first investiture took place in Hyde Park on the 26th June 1857 when 62 Crosses were presented by Her Majesty Queen Victoria.
To date no woman has been awarded the Victoria Cross.
It is the usual practice for the Victoria Cross to be awarded personally by the reigning Sovereign and this is so at the present time. Not all Victoria Crosses have been so awarded owing to the difficulties of travel in the 19th. century, but the majority of awards since 1914 have been personal investitures. In the case of posthumous awards the investiture is made to a next-of-kin of the recipient.
The Gough family in fact have a remarkable record because another member of the family, Captain and Brevet Major A.E. Gough of the Rifle Brigade was awarded a Victoria Cross for action on the 22nd of April 1963. The Gough family have therefore been awarded 3 Victoria Crosses.
There have been instances of a number of Victoria Crosses being awarded for the same action:-
22/23 January 1879
14 Victoria Crosses, Isandhlwana & Rorke's Drift (Zulu War)
25th April 1915
6 Victoria Crosses, Gallipoli (known as the "6 VC's before breakfast")
7/9th August 1915
7 Victoria Crosses, Gallipoli
Leonard Keysor
William Symons
Alexander Burton
William Durston
John Hamilton
Alfred Shout
Fredrick Tubb
The largest number of VCs won in a single day was 24 on 16 Nov 1857 during the Indian Mutiny and 23 at the second relief of Lucknow and one at Narnoul. Only one V.C. was awarded for action during the Battle of Britain and only one V.C. was awarded for action on D-Day.
In the case of the Congreve family the Victoria Cross was awarded to Capt. W.N. Congreve of the Rifle Brigade in the same action as Lt. The Ron. F.H.S. Roberts -15th of December 1899. His son Brevet Major W. Congreve D.S.O., M.C., also of the Rifle Brigade was awarded his Victoria Cross posthumously for action during the period 6th to 20th July 1916.
Although the Victoria Cross itself is made of valueless metal the award has a unique interest throughout the world and is much acclaimed by collectors.
More information will be added...............