List of Victoria Cross recipients by campaign - wikipedia List of Victoria Cross recipients by campaign The Victoria Cross ( VC ) is a military decoration awarded for valour `` in the face of the enemy '' to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals, and may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The award was officially constituted when Queen Victoria issued a warrant under the Royal sign - manual on 29 January 1856 that was gazetted on 5 February 1856. The order was backdated to 1854 to recognise acts of valour during the Crimean War. The first awards ceremony was held on 26 June 1857, where Queen Victoria invested 62 of the 111 Crimean recipients in a ceremony in Hyde Park. The first citations of the VC, particularly those in the initial gazette of 24 February 1857, varied in the details of each action ; some specify date ranges while some specify a single date. The original Royal Warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously. Between 1897 and 1901, several notices were issued in the London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not `` officially '' awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six soldiers. The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to explicitly allow posthumous awards until 1920, but one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous. Three people have been awarded the VC and Bar, which is a medal for two actions ; Noel Chavasse, Arthur Martin - Leake and Charles Upham. Chavasse received both medals for actions in the First World War, while Martin - Leake was awarded his first VC for actions in the Second Boer War, and his second for actions during the First World War. Charles Upham received both VCs for actions during the Second World War. The Victoria Cross has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. The largest number of recipients for one campaign is the First World War, for which 628 medals were awarded to 627 recipients. The largest number awarded for actions on a single day was 24 on 16 November 1857, at the Second Relief of Lucknow, during the Indian Mutiny. The largest number awarded for a single action was 18, for the assault on Sikandar Bagh, during the Second Relief of Lucknow. The largest number awarded to one unit during a single action was 7, to the 2nd / 24th Foot, for the defence of Rorke 's Drift ( 22 -- 23 January 1879 ), during the Zulu War. Since 1991, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have created their own separate Victoria Crosses : the Victoria Cross for Australia, the Victoria Cross ( Canada ), and the Victoria Cross for New Zealand. Only five of these separate medals have been awarded, all for actions in the War in Afghanistan ; Willie Apiata received the Victoria Cross for New Zealand on 26 July 2007 ; on 16 January 2009 Mark Donaldson, on 24 August 2010 Daniel Keighran, on 23 January 2011 Ben Roberts - Smith, and on 13 February 2014 Cameron Baird ( posthumous award ), were awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. As these are separate medals, they are not included in this list. Recipients This along with a ‡ indicates that the row is a link to a separate page containing the recipients of wars or campaigns with a large number of recipients. This along with a * indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously. Recipients Unit Campaign Dates Location 000 a111 Crimean War recipients ‡ 000 a -- Crimean War Crimean War 1854 -- 1856 1854 -- 1856 000 a -- John Wood 020 20th Bombay Native Infantry Anglo - Persian War 1856 - 08 - 09 9 August 1856 Bushire, Persia John Malcolmson 003 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry Anglo - Persian War 1857 - 02 - 08 8 February 1857 Khoosh - ab, Persia Arthur Moore 003 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry Anglo - Persian War 1858 - 02 - 07 8 February 1857 Khoosh - ab, Persia 000.1 182 Indian Mutiny recipients ‡ 000.1 -- Indian Mutiny Indian Mutiny 1858 1857 -- 1859 000.1 -- Nathaniel Burslem 067 67th Regiment of Foot Third China War 1860 - 08 - 21 21 August 1860 Taku Forts, China John Chaplin 067 67th Regiment of Foot Third China War 1860 - 08 - 21 21 August 1860 Taku Forts, China Andrew Fitzgibbon 067 67th Regiment of Foot Third China War 1860 - 08 - 21 21 August 1860 Taku Forts, China Thomas Lane 067 67th Regiment of Foot Third China War 1860 - 08 - 21 21 August 1860 Taku Forts, China Edmund Lenon 067 67th Regiment of Foot Third China War 1860 - 08 - 21 21 August 1860 Taku Forts, China John McDougall 044 44th Regiment of Foot Third China War 1860 - 08 - 21 21 August 1860 Taku Forts, China Robert Rogers 044 44th Regiment of Foot Third China War 1860 - 08 - 21 21 August 1860 Taku Forts, China 000.15 15 New Zealand Land Wars recipients ‡ 000.15 -- New Zealand Land Wars New Zealand Land Wars 1860 -- 1865 1860 -- 1865 000.15 -- George Hinckley Naval Brigade Taiping Rebellion 1862 - 10 - 09 9 October 1862 Fenghua, China George Fosbery 004 4th Bengal European Regiment Umbeyla Campaign 1863 - 10 - 30 30 October 1863 Crag Picquet, India Henry Pitcher 004 4th Punjab Infantry Umbeyla Campaign 1863 - 10 - 30 30 October 1863 Crag Picquet, India Duncan Boyes HMS Euryalus Bombardment of Shimonoseki 1864 - 09 - 06 6 September 1864 Kanmon Straits, Japan Thomas Pride Royal Navy Bombardment of Shimonoseki 1864 - 09 - 06 6 September 1864 Kanmon Straits, Japan William Seeley HMS Euryalus Bombardment of Shimonoseki 1864 - 09 - 06 6 September 1864 Kanmon Straits, Japan James Dundas Bengal Engineers Bhutan War 1865 - 04 - 30 30 April 1865 Dewan - Giri, India William Trevor Bengal Engineers Bhutan War 1865 - 04 - 30 30 April 1865 Dewan - Giri, India Timothy O'Hea Rifle Brigade -- 1866 - 06 - 09 9 June 1866 Danville, Quebec Samuel Hodge West India Regiment The Gambia 1866 - 06 - 30 30 June 1866 Tubabecelong, Gambia David Bell 024 24th Regiment of Foot Andaman Islands Expedition 1867 - 05 - 07 7 May 1867 Little Andaman Campbell Douglas 024 24th Regiment of Foot Andaman Islands Expedition 1867 - 05 - 07 7 May 1867 Little Andaman James Cooper 024 24th Regiment of Foot Andaman Islands Expedition 1867 - 05 - 07 7 May 1867 Little Andaman Thomas Murphy 024 24th Regiment of Foot Andaman Islands Expedition 1867 - 05 - 07 7 May 1867 Little Andaman William Griffiths 024 24th Regiment of Foot Andaman Islands Expedition 1867 - 05 - 07 7 May 1867 Little Andaman James Bergin 033 33rd Regiment of Foot Abyssinian War 1868 - 04 - 13 13 April 1868 Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia Michael Magner 033 33rd Regiment of Foot Abyssinian War 1868 - 04 - 13 13 April 1868 Battle of Magdala, Abyssinia Donald Macintyre 002 2nd Gurkha Rifles Looshai Expedition 1872 - 01 - 04 4 January 1872 Lalgnoora, India Edric Gifford 024 24th Regiment of Foot First Ashanti Expedition 1873 -- 1874 Becquah, Ashanti Reginald Sartorius 006 6th Bengal Cavalry First Ashanti Expedition 1874 - 01 - 17 17 January 1874 Abogu, Ashanti Samuel McGaw 042 42nd Regiment of Foot First Ashanti Expedition 1874 - 01 - 21 21 January 1874 Amoaful, Ashanti Mark Bell Corps of Royal Engineers First Ashanti Expedition 1874 - 02 - 04 4 February 1874 Ordashu, Ashanti George Channer Bengal Staff Corps Perak War 1875 - 12 - 20 20 December 1875 Malaya, Malaysia Andrew Scott Bengal Staff Corps Baluchistan 1877 - 07 - 26 26 July 1877 Quetta, India Hans Moore 088 88th Regiment of Foot 9th Cape Frontier War 1877 - 12 - 29 29 December 1877 King William 's Town, Cape Colony 000.2 23 Zulu War recipients ‡ 000.2 -- Zulu War Zulu War 1879 1879 000.2 -- 000.3 16 Second Afghan War recipients ‡ 000.3 -- Second Afghan War Second Afghan War 1878 -- 1880 1878 -- 1880 000.3 -- Peter Brown Cape Mounted Riflemen Basuto War 1879 - 04 - 08 8 April 1879 Morosi 's Mountain, South Africa Robert Scott Cape Mounted Riflemen Basuto War 1879 - 04 - 08 8 April 1879 Morosi 's Mountain, South Africa Edmund Hartley Cape Mounted Riflemen Basuto War 1879 - 06 - 05 5 June 1879 Morosi 's Mountain, South Africa Francis Fitzpatrick Connaught Rangers Basuto War 1879 - 11 - 28 28 November 1879 Sekukuni 's Town, South Africa Thomas Flawn Connaught Rangers Basuto War 1879 - 11 - 28 28 November 1879 Sekukuni 's Town, South Africa John McCrea 001 1st Cape Mounted Yeomanry Basuto War 1881 - 01 - 14 14 January 1881 Tweefontein, South Africa Richard Ridgeway Bengal Staff Corps Second Naga Hills Expedition 1879 - 11 - 22 22 November 1879 Konama, India John Danaher Nourse 's Horse First Boer War 1881 - 01 - 16 16 January 1881 Elandsfontein, South Africa James Murray Connaught Rangers First Boer War 1881 - 01 - 16 16 January 1881 Elandsfontein, South Africa John Doogan 001 1st King 's Dragoon Guards First Boer War 1881 - 01 - 28 28 January 1881 Laing 's Nek, South Africa Alan Hill Northamptonshire Regiment First Boer War 1881 - 01 - 28 28 January 1881 Laing 's Nek, South Africa James Osborne Northamptonshire Regiment First Boer War 1881 - 02 - 22 22 February 1881 Wesselstroom, South Africa Joseph Farmer Royal Army Medical Corps First Boer War 1881 - 02 - 27 27 February 1881 Majubu Hill, South Africa Israel Harding HMS Alexandra Occupation of Egypt 1882 - 07 - 11 11 July 1882 Alexandria, Egypt Frederick Corbett King 's Royal Rifle Corps Occupation of Egypt 1882 - 08 - 05 5 August 1882 Kafr Dowar, Egypt William Edwards Highland Light Infantry Occupation of Egypt 1882 - 09 - 13 13 September 1882 Tel - el - Kebir, Egypt William Marshall 019 19th Hussars Sudan Campaign 1884 - 02 - 29 29 February 1884 El Teb, Sudan Arthur Wilson HMS Hecla Sudan Campaign 1884 - 02 - 29 29 February 1884 El Teb, Sudan Thomas Edwards Black Watch Sudan Campaign 1884 - 03 - 13 13 March 1884 Tamai, Sudan Percival Marling King 's Royal Rifle Corps Sudan Campaign 1884 - 03 - 13 13 March 1884 Tamai, Sudan Alfred Smith Royal Regiment of Artillery Sudan Campaign 1885 - 01 - 17 17 January 1885 Abu Klea, Sudan Thomas Byrne 021 21st Lancers Sudan Campaign 1898 - 09 - 02 2 September 1898 Omdurman, Sudan Raymond De Montmorency 021 21st Lancers Sudan Campaign 1898 - 09 - 02 2 September 1898 Omdurman, Sudan Paul Kenna 021 21st Lancers Sudan Campaign 1898 - 09 - 02 2 September 1898 Omdurman, Sudan Nevill Smyth 002 2nd Dragoon Guards Sudan Campaign 1898 - 09 - 02 2 September 1898 Omdurman, Sudan Alexander Hore - Rithven Highland Light Infantry Sudan Campaign 1898 - 09 - 22 22 September 1898 Gedarif, Sudan John Crimmin Bombay Medical Service British rule in Burma 1889 - 01 - 01 1 January 1889 Karenni, Burma Ferdinand Le Quesne Royal Army Medical Corps British rule in Burma 1889 - 05 - 04 4 May 1889 Tartan, Burma Charles Grant Indian Staff Corps Manipur Expedition 1891 - 03 - 21 21 March 1891 to 9 April 1891 Thobal, Burma Fenton Aylmer Corps of Royal Engineers Hunza - Naga Campaign 1891 - 12 - 02 2 December 1891 Nilt Fort, India Guy Boisragon 005 5th Gurkha Rifles Hunza - Naga Campaign 1891 - 12 - 02 2 December 1891 Nilt Fort, India John Smith 005 5th Gurkha Rifles Hunza - Naga Campaign 1891 - 12 - 20 20 December 1891 Nilt Fort, India William Gordon West India Regiment The Gambia 1892 - 03 - 13 13 March 1892 Toniataba, Gambia Owen Lloyd Royal Army Medical Corps Kachin Hills Expedition 1893 - 01 - 06 6 January 1893 Fort Sima, Burma Harry Whitchurch Indian Medical Service Chitral Expedition 1895 - 03 - 03 3 March 1895 Chitral Fort, India Herbert Henderson Bulawayo Field Force Matabeleland Rebellion 1896 - 03 - 30 30 March 1896 Bulawayo, Rhodesia Frank Baxter Bulawayo Field Force Matabeleland Rebellion 1896 - 04 - 22 22 April 1896 * Umguza, Rhodesia Randolph Nesbitt Mashonaland Mounted Police Mashona Rebellion 1896 - 06 - 19 19 June 1896 Salisbury, Rhodesia Edmond Costello 022 22nd Punjab Infantry Siege of Malakand 1897 - 07 - 26 26 July 1897 Malakand, India James Colvin Corps of Royal Engineers Mohmand Campaign 1897 - 09 - 16 16 September 1897 Bilot, India James Smith Corps of Royal Engineers Mohmand Campaign 1897 - 09 - 16 16 September 1897 Bilot, India Thomas Watson Corps of Royal Engineers Mohmand Campaign 1897 - 09 - 16 16 September 1897 Bilot, India Robert Adams Corps of Guides Tirah Campaign 1897 - 08 - 17 17 August 1897 Swat, India Hector MacLean Corps of Guides Tirah Campaign 1897 - 08 - 17 17 August 1897 * Swat, India Alexander Fincastle 016 16th Lancers Tirah Campaign 1897 - 08 - 17 17 August 1897 Swat, India Henry Pennell Sherwood Foresters Tirah Campaign 1897 - 10 - 20 20 October 1897 Dargai, India George Findlater Gordon Highlanders Tirah Campaign 1897 - 10 - 20 20 October 1897 Dargai, India Edward Lawson Gordon Highlanders Tirah Campaign 1897 - 10 - 20 20 October 1897 Dargai, India Samuel Vickery Dorset Regiment Tirah Campaign 1897 - 10 - 20 20 October 1897 Dargai, India William Maillard HMS Hazard Occupation of Crete 1898 - 09 - 06 6 September 1898 Crete, Greece John Mackenzie Seaforth Highlanders Third Ashanti Expedition 1900 - 06 - 06 6 June 1900 Dompoassi, Ashanti Charles Melliss Indian Staff Corps Third Ashanti Expedition 1900 - 09 - 30 30 September 1900 Obassa, Ashanti Lewis Halliday Royal Marine Light Infantry Boxer Rising 1900 - 06 - 24 24 June 1900 Peking, China Basil Guy Naval Brigade Boxer Rising 1900 - 07 - 13 13 July 1900 China 000.4 78 Second Boer War recipients ‡ 000.4 -- Second Boer War Second Boer War 1899 -- 1902 1899 -- 1902 000.4 -- Alexander Cobbe King 's African Rifles Second Somaliland Expedition 1902 - 10 - 06 6 October 1902 Erego, Somaliland William Walker 004 4th Gurkha Rifles Third Somaliland Expedition 1903 - 04 - 22 22 April 1903 Daratoleh, Somaliland John Gough Rifle Brigade Third Somaliland Expedition 1903 - 04 - 22 22 April 1903 Daratoleh, Somaliland George Rolland 001 1st Bombay Grenadiers Third Somaliland Expedition 1903 - 04 - 22 22 April 1903 Daratoleh, Somaliland Herbert Carter Duke of Cornwall 's Light Infantry Fourth Somaliland Expedition 1903 - 12 - 19 19 December 1903 Jidballi, Somaliland Clement Smith Duke of Cornwall 's Light Infantry Fourth Somaliland Expedition 1904 - 01 - 10 10 January 1904 Jidballi, Somaliland Wallace Wright 002 Queen 's Royal Regiment ( West Surrey ) Kano - Sokoto Expedition 1903 - 02 - 26 26 February 1903 Northern Nigeria John Grant 008 8th Gurkha Rifles Armed Mission to Tibet 1904 - 07 - 06 6 July 1904 Gyantse Fortress 000.5 627 First World War recipients ‡ 000.5 -- First World War First World War 1914 -- 1918 1914 -- 1918 000.5 -- Augustus Agar HM Coastal Motor Boat 4 North Russia Relief Force 1919 - 06 - 17 17 June 1919 Kronstadt, Russia Arthur Sullivan Royal Fusiliers North Russia Relief Force 1919 - 08 - 10 10 August 1919 Sheika River, Russia Claude Dobson HM Coastal Motor Boat 31 North Russia Relief Force 1919 - 08 - 18 18 August 1919 Kronstadt, Russia Gordon Steele HM Coastal Motor Boat 88 North Russia Relief Force 1919 - 08 - 18 18 August 1919 Kronstadt, Russia Samuel Pearse Royal Fusiliers North Russia Relief Force 1919 - 08 - 29 29 August 1919 * Emtsa, Russia Henry Andrews Indian Medical Service Waziristan Campaign 1919 - 10 - 22 22 October 1919 * Khajuri, Waziristan William Kenny 039 39th Garhwal Rifles Waziristan Campaign 1920 - 01 - 02 2 January 1920 * Kot Kai, Waziristan Ishar Singh 028 28th Punjab Regiment Waziristan Campaign 1921 - 04 - 10 10 April 1921 Haidari Kach, Waziristan George Henderson Manchester Regiment Arab Revolt 1920 - 07 - 24 24 July 1920 * Hillah, Mesopotamia Godfrey Meynell 012 12th Frontier Force Regiment Second Mohmand Campaign 1935 - 09 - 29 29 September 1935 * Mamund Valley, India 000.6 181 Second World War recipients ‡ 000.6 -- Second World War Second World War 1939 -- 1945 1939 -- 1945 000.6 -- Kenneth Muir Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Korean War 1950 - 09 - 23 23 September 1950 * Songju, Korea James Carne Gloucestershire Regiment Korean War 1950 - 04 - 22 22 -- 23 April 1951 Imjin River, Korea Philip Curtis Duke of Cornwall 's Light Infantry Korean War 1950 - 04 - 22 22 -- 23 April 1951 * Imjin River, Korea Bill Speakman Black Watch ( Royal Highland Regiment ) Korean War 1951 - 11 - 04 4 November 1951 Hill 217, Korea Rambahadur Limbu 010 10th Gurkha Rifles Malaysia - Indonesia Confrontation 1965 - 11 - 21 21 November 1965 Sarawak, Borneo Kevin Wheatley Australian Army Training Team Vietnam Vietnam War 1965 - 11 - 13 13 November 1965 * Tra Bong, Vietnam Peter Badcoe Australian Army Training Team Vietnam Vietnam War 1967 - 02 - 23 23 February 1967 7 March 1967 7 April 1967 * Huong Tra, Vietnam Ray Simpson Australian Army Training Team Vietnam Vietnam War 1969 - 05 - 06 6 -- 11 May 1969 Kon Tum province, Vietnam Keith Payne Australian Army Training Team Vietnam Vietnam War 1969 - 05 - 24 24 May 1969 Ben Het, Vietnam Herbert Jones Parachute Regiment Falklands War 1982 - 05 - 28 28 May 1982 * Goose Green, Falkland Islands Ian McKay Parachute Regiment Falklands War 1982 - 06 - 12 12 June 1982 * Mount Longdon, Falkland Islands Johnson Beharry Princess of Wales 's Royal Regiment Iraq War 2004 - 05 - 01 1 May 2004 11 June 2004 Al - Amarah, Iraq Bryan Budd Parachute Regiment War in Afghanistan 2006 - 07 - 27 27 July 2006 20 August 2006 * Sangin, Afghanistan James Ashworth Grenadier Guards War in Afghanistan 2012 - 06 - 13 13 June 2012 * Nahiri Saraj District, Afghanistan Joshua Leakey Parachute Regiment War in Afghanistan 2013 - 08 - 22 22 August 2013 Helmand Province, Afghanistan Notes A ^ Between 1858 and 1881, the Victoria Cross could be awarded for actions taken `` under circumstances of extreme danger '' not in the face of the enemy. O'Hea single handedly put out a fire in an ammunition cart, and was awarded the VC for that action. This rule was changed in 1881 to allow only acts `` in the presence of the enemy ''. B ^ 628 Medals were awarded to 627 recipients. Two Bars were awarded ; Noel Godfrey Chavasse was awarded the Victoria Cross and Bar for two separate actions ; Arthur Martin - Leake was awarded a VC in the Second Boer War, and his Bar for actions in the First World War. C ^ 182 medals were awarded to 181 recipients ; Charles Upham was awarded the Victoria Cross and Bar. References General Arthur, Max ( 2005 ). Symbol of Courage ; Men behind the Medal. Pan books. ISBN 978 - 0 - 330 - 49133 - 4. Ashcroft, Michael ( 2006 ). Victoria Cross Heroes. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 - 7553 - 1632 - 0. Crook, M.J. ( 1975 ). The Evolution of the Victoria Cross. Midas books. ISBN 0 - 85936 - 041 - 5. `` Victoria Cross Registers ''. The National Archives. Retrieved 5 August 2009. Specific Jump up ^ Ashcroft, Michael ; preface ; XI -- XIII Jump up ^ The Gazette publishing the original Royal Warrant `` No. 21846 ''. The London Gazette. 5 February 1856. pp. 410 -- 411. Jump up ^ Ashcroft, Michael ; pp. 7 -- 10 Jump up ^ Ashcroft, Michael ; Preface to Victoria Cross Heroes Jump up ^ Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp. 68 -- 90 Jump up ^ `` No. 27986 ''. The London Gazette. 15 January 1907. p. 325. Jump up ^ Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp. 68 -- 90 Jump up ^ `` No. 31946 ''. The London Gazette. 18 June 1920. p. 6702. Jump up ^ Ashcroft, Michael, Introduction : A brief History of the VC ( pp. 14 -- 18 ) Jump up ^ Arthur, Max ; pp. 185 -- 371 Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2006. Jump up ^ Arthur, Max ; p. XIV Jump up ^ `` Press kit related to July 2007 gallantry awards ( NZ ) '' ( PDF ). NZ Government through news agency. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007. Jump up ^ `` VC background ''. British War Graves Memorial. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2008. Victoria Cross Victoria Cross for Australia for Canada for New Zealand Recipients by nationality Australian Canadian English Irish New Zealand Scottish Uncertain by armed force Royal Navy Royal Air Force Indian Army by branch of service Artillery Cavalry Royal Engineers Guards Gurkhas ( Nepalese ) Medical by campaign Crimean War Indian Mutiny New Zealand Wars Zulu War Second Anglo - Afghan War Second Boer War First World War Second World War by Name A -- F G -- M N -- Z Other Living By school Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Victoria_Cross_recipients_by_campaign&oldid=832154263 '' Categories : Victoria Cross lists Lists of recipients of the Victoria Cross by conflict Hidden categories : CS1 : Julian -- Gregorian uncertainty Use dmy dates from April 2012 Articles with hCards Featured lists Talk About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 24 March 2018, at 04 : 16 ( UTC ). 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Question: who was the first person to get a victoria cross
Answer: John Wood