| The Royal Warrant for the instigation of the Victoria Cross was laid before Queen Victoria and signed by her on Tuesday, 29 January 1856. The award of the Cross was made retrospective to include the Crimean War which formulated the idea of a new gallantry award in the mind of Queen Victoria after meeting some of the wounded from the conflict. The selection of servicemen to receive the VC took place on the recommendation from regiments' commanding officers. A list of names, 'selected from numerous applications', was forwarded to Lord Panmure, Secretary of State for War, on 2 February 1857 before being sent to Queen Victoria for approval on 15 February 1857. After the Queen's signature had been obtained, the two lists of names to receive the award of the Victoria Cross were published in the "London Gazette" of 24 February 1857. The first investiture of the Victoria Cross took place in Hyde Park, London, on 26 June 1857 where Queen Victoria personally pinned the Cross on the breasts of sixty-two recipients - twelve Royal Navy, two Royal Marines and forty-eight of the Army. The recipient's service number, rank, name, regiment or ship, is engraved on the reverse of the suspension bar, and the date of the VC action engraved on the reverse of the Cross. For example:
of Oliver Watson's Victoria Cross |
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Iain Stewart, 26 July 2007