Can sum1 please fill me in a little more about the King's Cross? It was awarded to my father's father during the war and it intrigues me...
Can you fill me in on more about this?I dont know of any award called the Kings Cross--except for an Imperial German award called the King Karl Troop Cross. I suppose you mean the George Cross? If you do mean the George Cross, they are ther Civilian equivilent to the Militarys Victoria Cross. A Civilian got awarded this cross for outstanding bravery and duty to the British Empire. I dont know award criteria for this award, but they were not issued to tens of thousands of people--a few thousand only. This is also a VALUABLE piece of history--if you still have it in the family--DO NOT sell and DO NOT let anyone tell you anything otherwise. Is you cross numbered? if so--its more valuable. Anyway--please let me know more about this and describe the award if you can.
Thank you 4 clearing the name up...correct it is the George Cross. I have yet to find it, it is hidden among the many objects of my great grandfathers war chest. As soon as I can i will tell you more.
Ah ha--very good then--and im looking forward to seeing what you have to say on it. Also would love a pic of it--nice closeup--just for my records. But remember--DO NOT SELL it--anyone wishing to buy it will try to get it for next to nothing if they can. I dont think you would have ever considered selling it anyway--but I just have to say this as a warning--just in case someone is telling you otherwise.
The George Cross could also be awarded to service personnel. Some years ago a register of them was publishedd by 'This England' magazine in the UK and there is also an active GC Association. Details of the award were published in the London Gazette during the war; larger reference libraries in the UK (and possibly US?) will have this on microfilm. And yes it is a VERY valuable decoration; you are talking thousands of pounds at least. Bear this in mind in respect of how you store it etc.
Thanks for the extra info. Do you have any ideas on how many were awarded to military personnel? I had read on another forum that it was strictly a civilian award but then I do recall reading about them being awarded to a few members of the military after the Germans siege of Malta.
While many were awarded to civillians for bravery in the Blitz, for example, I know of several to RAF crew. I seem to remember the act of bravery related to courage in a military situation, but not necessaryily in a combat situation - if that makes sense! I will try and find some web sites.
Here's the answer: "The cross was awarded for an act of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger. It was intended primarily for civilians and award in the military services was confined to actions for which purely military honours were not normally granted and awarded for actions not in the face of the enemy." This came from the following web site: http://georgecross.paklinks.com/ I also found a GC site that has lists of names at: http://www.stephen-tratford.co.uk/george_cross.htm Hope this helps. Paul
ALAS!! the cross went to the grave with my great-grandfather! however, I believe we still have diary and formal records of it floating around. I shall try to find them. yes - it was numbered...Y?
ARGGG, but if your lucky--please read further. When someone was awarded something such as this--more often than not--the recipient had a jeweler make a copy of the award so he could wear it and safe keep the original. Quite possibly your grandfather did this and had his copy with him as he was buried. Hopefully it is possible that someone in your family might have forgotten about that and the original Cross is still in a relatives possession--but just forgotten. Numbered--even I could have found info on him--and his deeds etc--that even your family might not know--if I had the number. This also indicates a VERY early awarded George Cross. [ 21 May 2002, 03:00 PM: Message edited by: C.Evans ]
EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!! this has to be the best news i have heard 2day! thank you my friend! i shall search our records and ask around...if it is still around i am determined to find it. haha! thank you again, a thousand times!!!
Quite glad to try to help and hope that he did have a copy made--so someone should still have the original--hopefully
In my own experience of British awards and medals, it is actually quite rare to find someone who has had a copy made. This is occasionally true for the Victoria Cross, but rarely with the GC. More likely he might have bought a commercial copy and worn that on parades... but let's hope you find something!
Its not really THTA rare but the Brits never went "for the medals" as much as it seemed that the Frainch and the Germans did.
