Elizabeth Cross 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 . Appearance . Designed by Dayna White of Birmingham jewellers Gladman & Norman Ltd , the award is made of sterling silver 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 Gladman & Norman ; 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 . Institution and related awards . The award was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II 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 . Award and eligibility . The first crosses were issued by the Ministry of Defence Medal Office at Imjin Barracks , 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 . The Ulster Defence Regiment CGC . Successful applications . Up to May 2010 , 232 Elizabeth Crosses and Memorial Scrolls have been issued to the families of The Ulster Defence Regiment CGC personnel whose deaths are officially attributed to their military service . Failed applications . Up to November 2010 , 37 applications linked to The Ulster Defence Regiment CGC for the Elizabeth Cross have failed due to the following reasons : New Zealand Memorial Cross . Since the Second World War New Zealand has similarly issued a cross to the relatives of those killed in action and / or on duty . The New Zealand Memorial Cross was recently awarded to the family of the late Lt . Tim O ' Donnell DSD as well as other soldiers ' families who had served in Afghanistan