A SERVICE OF COMMEMORATION TO MARK THE
150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE VICTORIA CROSS
and
THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORIA CROSS AND GEORGE CROSS ASSOCIATION

held on
MONDAY, 26TH JUNE 2006, at WESTMINSTER ABBEY, LONDON

attended by
HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES AND HRH THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL



The Victoria Cross was instituted by Queen Victoria on 29 January 1856 and made retrospective to 1854 to include actions in the Crimean War. The Victoria Cross is awarded "for most conspicuous bravery or some daring pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy". The award is the most democratic of all military decorations and is bestowed irrespective of rank, race, or creed, or any other circumstances or condition to those serving in British and Commonwealth forces who have shown most conspicuous bravery. To date there have been 1355 awards of the Victoria Cross. This total includes three Bars and the award to the American Unknown Warrior made in 1921.

The Victoria Cross & George Cross Association. At the 1956 Centenary of the Victoria Cross 299 VCs were gathered together from all over the world, the focal point being a review of holders in Hyde Park by Her Majesty The Queen on 26 June. It was during these celebrations that the decision was made to form the Victoria Cross Association with the main aim and objective being the provision of a headquarters to provide communication with each other and thereby to give help and guidance to one another when required. George Cross holders became Associate members in 1957, and in 1962 they were invited to become full members and the Association was renamed.


Those VC and GC holders attending the ceremony in Westminster Abbey on 26th June 2006 and who attended a reception at Windsor Castle on 28th June 2006
included:



Private Johnson BEHARRY VC
Flight Lieutenant John CRUICKSHANK VC
Lieutenant Commander Ian FRASER VC, DSC, RD*
Captain Lachhiman GURUNG VC
Captain Rambahadur LIMBU VC, MVO
Mr Keith PAYNE VC, OAM, DSC (US Issue)
Mr William SPEAKMAN VC
Lieutenant Colonel Eric WILSON VC



( Victoria Cross holders unable to attend the ceremony )
Lance Naik Bhanbhagta GURUNG VC
Mr Edward KENNA VC
Warrant Officer I Tulbahadur PUN VC
The Rt Hon Sir Tasker WATKINS VC, GBE



Colonel Stuart ARCHER GC, OBE, ERD**
Mr John BAMFORD GC
Mr James BEATON GC, CVO
Lieutenant Commander John BRIDGE GC, GM & Bar
Colonel Dick BUTSON GC, OMM, CD* ( Canada )
Mr Kenneth FARROW GC
Lance Corporal Christopher FINNEY GC
Mr Henry FLINTOFF GC
Mr Anthony GLEDHILL GC
Mr John GREGSON GC ( New Zealand )
Mr Barry JOHNSON GC
Mr Derek KINNE GC ( USA )
Mr Alfred LOWE GC ( New Zealand )
Mr Joseph LYNCH GC, BEM
Captain Peter NORTON GC
Mr Michael PRATT GC
Mrs Margaret PURVES GC
Mr Awang Anak RAWENG GC
Mr Henry STEVENS GC
Mr Carl WALKER GC
Mr Charles WALKER GC
Mr Kevin WALTON GC, DSC



Dr Michael Refalo HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR MALTA GC
Mr Jim McDonald CHAIRMAN, RUC GC FOUNDATION

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Iain Stewart, 26 June 2006