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Victoria Cross awarded

950 views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  Tbirdnz 
#1 ·
Apologies for talking about our SAS again but one of them has just been awarded the VC, the first time any of our soldiers have been awarded this highest of our decorations since WWII.

Unusual in the respect that this SAS soldier has been named but only after he has stopped serving in Afghanistan. These medals are awarded by the HM Queen for the UK, Australian, Canadian and NZ forces upon recommendation from their own countries.

VC awarded

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Ride on ! :)

[ This message was edited by: Tbirdnz on 2007-07-02 20:17 ]
 
#8 ·
Most noteworthy indeed. They don`t give VC`s out willy nilly. Did you know that Australia and New Zealand and various other commonwealth countries have had their own VC`s since 1991? They are slightly different in appearance and I think the Canadian one has a different motto too. Also, the Queen no longer gets to make the call on Commonwealth VC`s, It`s also now up to the head of state of that particular country.
 
#9 ·
In some other story in the Herald Rob, the Head of Defence had to fill out a recommendation and as no-one had done it since WWII he had to ask around and he asked the UK MOD and Buckingham Palace, and all agreed it was a VC award.

The Prime Minister here had a say in the matter, took a personal interest and of course as you say it is the respective countries now that make the decision, but I would say there is some consultation about this because they are not given lightly and no-one wants to devalue them.

We've only had 22 awarded since the 1800's, with one of them being awarded two.

Willy Apiata is a Maori and oddly enough one of the first VC's awarded here was in the NZ Wars against the Maori, funny old world we live in, bit ironic really.

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Ride on ! :)

p.s.

HM Queen still has a say, it still is the Royal New Zealand Army and recently when some of our soldiers were awarded the US Bronze Star, also for Afghanistan, the Queen had to approve them being worn as a 'foreign' decoration.

[ This message was edited by: Tbirdnz on 2007-07-04 02:48 ]
 
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