George Cross
24 September 1940
['30 september 1986', '3 may 1956', '9 may 1974', '11 august 1969', '16 december 1989', '13 september 1979', '12 march 1913', '11 august 1947', '18 october 1929', '21 october 1969', '15 november 1955', '29 may 1924', '24 april 1907', '28 december 1975', '19 october 1979', '27 september 1967', '28 november 2012', '30 september 1981', '18 february 1980', '18 july 1928', '28 december 2004', '1 july 1970', '23 august 1989', '24 january 1857', '28 december 1934', '1 december 2009', '7 september 1949', '7 september 1943', '1 january 1987', '18 january 1919', '7 february 1974', '24 january 2009', '7 october 2007', '9 october 1984', '11 november 2009', '24 october 1997', '1 april 2010', '1 january 1940', '11 july 2007', '10 april 2010', '27 march 1971', '1 september 1989', '2 june 2014', '25 september 2012', '15 june 1909', '15 november 1953', '24 may 1985', '25 august 1952', '1 january 1923', '16 march 1983', '1 november 2011', '10 april 1913', '24 april 1990', '17 november 1912', '26 march 1971', '25 december 1991', '29 april 1918', '1 october 1927', '15 may 1992', '19 january 2011', '5 july 1948', '12 february 1945', '8 june 1923', '15 august 1914', '9 april 1946', '27 september 1983', '1 may 1775', '7 october 1933', '29 november 1965', '1 september 1991', '3 february 1976', '20 september 1944', '22 may 2014', '8 august 1967', '1 january 1860', '13 april 1958', '14 may 1948', '1 january 2013', '1 january 2008', '19 september 2008', '31 march 1924', '1 april 1965', '18 june 1989', '22 march 1945', 'monday 1 january 2007', '2 september 1990', '5 october 1995', '14 april 1943', '14 november 1994', '1 january 1981', '20 april 1964', '25 october 2009', '7 december 2013', '1 july 1867', '26 january 1959', '11 october 1974', '15 march 1990', '29 july 2011', '4 october 1992']
List of George Cross recipients
The George Cross (GC) is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom and other member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is second as a decoration only to the Victoria Cross. The George Cross is the highest gallantry award for civilians, as well as for military personnel in actions which are not in the face of the enemy, or for which purely military honours would not normally be granted. The George Cross was officially constituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI, during the height of the Blitz, as a way to award civilian courage. It is granted in recognition of "acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger". Initially, the Empire Gallantry Medal recognised acts of the highest bravery but was never considered equal to that of the Victoria Cross. The George Cross succeeded the Empire Gallantry Medal and all those living that had been awarded the medal, and all posthumous awards from the outbreak of World War II, were obliged to exchange their medal for the George Cross. In 1971, the living recipients of either the Albert Medal and Edward Medal, that recognised the saving of life and bravery of miners and quarrymen respectively, were invited to exchange their medals for the George Cross; 24 recipients elected not to exchange their medal. Since the Second World War most Commonwealth realms have instituted their own honours systems and have awards similar to the British GC. The Queen of Canada has awarded the Cross of Valour to Canadian citizens since its establishment in 1972. Although Australia created the Cross of Valour in 1975, the GC could still be recommended by Australia until 5 October 1992 with the last award, the most recent to a living civilian, being gazetted in 1978. Both allow the wearer to use the postnominal letters CV. The Queen of New Zealand has awarded the New Zealand Cross to New Zealand citizens since its institution in 1999, which grants the wearer the postnominal letters NZC. There have been 407 George Cross awards including two collective awards but no honorary awards although some recipients serving in British forces were foreign born including Albert Guérisse (Belgium), Violette Szabo (France), and Noor Inayat Khan (Russia). All three served within the Special Operations Executive during World War II. There are currently 19 living recipients.