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Press Releases
May
43rd Annual Victoria Cross (VC)Celebrations
 Come 29 May – 01 Jun 2009, the Jamaica Defence Force will celebrate the valour of two West Indian soldiers who were awarded the coveted Victoria Cross (VC), the first non-Europeans to be so honoured. One of them was a Jamaican, Sergeant William GORDON who was awarded the VC on 13 March 1892 for bravery while serving in West Africa. He was the second recipient, the first being Lance Corporal Samuel HODGE of the Virgin Islands, who was awarded the VC on 30 June 1866. The celebrations will take the form of a VC Dinner on 29 May, hosted by the Jamaica Regiment; a VC Church Service on 31 May; and the ultimate VC Day on 01 June, a military holiday for service members not on or warned for duty. The Victoria Cross (VC) was instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria, but was made retroactive to 1854 to cover the Crimean War. The VC is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members in British and Commonwealth Forces. The VC is a bronze Maltese Cross, 1 ½ inches in diameter with raised edges. On the obverse is a lion passant guardant upon the Royal Crown and below, on an arc scroll, are the words “For Valour.” The reverse also has raised edges and in the centre of the medal is the date on which the valorous act took place. The Cross is suspended from its clasp by a plain ‘V.’ The clasp is ornamented with laurel leaves and on the back is the rank, name and regiment of the recipient. The ribbon is a claret-crimson colour which is the uniform for all three services, but originally the navy ribbon was blue up until 1920. It was decided that the Cross would be made from the bronze of Russian canons captured at Sebastopol during the Crimean War (1854-1856). The First 61 Victoria Crosses were presented at Hyde Park, London, England by Queen Victoria on 26 June 1857. Incidentally, the bronze from the Russian guns ran out in 1942 and it is now supplied by the medal-makers.
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