What is "victoria cross"

Victoria \Vic*to"ri*a\, n. [NL.]

1. (Bot.) A genus of aquatic plants named in honor of Queen Victoria. The Victoria regia is a native of Guiana and Brazil. Its large, spreading leaves are often over five feet in diameter, and have a rim from three to five inches high; its immense rose-white flowers sometimes attain a diameter of nearly two feet.

2. A kind of low four-wheeled pleasure carriage, with a calash top, designed for two persons and the driver who occupies a high seat in front.

3. (Astron.) An asteroid discovered by Hind in 1850; -- called also Clio.

4. One of an American breed of medium-sized white hogs with a slightly dished face and very erect ears.

   Victoria cross, a bronze Maltese cross, awarded for valor to members of the British army or navy. It was first bestowed in 1857, at the close of the Crimean war. The recipients also have a pension of [pounds]10 a year.

   Victoria green. (Chem.) See Emerald green, under Green.

   Victoria lily (Bot.), the Victoria regia. See def. 1, above.

The Victoria Cross , created in 1993, is a military decoration and the highest award within the Canadian honours system, taking precedence over all other orders, decorations, and medals. It is awarded by either the Canadian monarch or his or her viceregal representative, the Governor General of Canada, to any member of the Canadian Forces or allies serving under or with Canadian military command for extraordinary valour and devotion to duty while facing hostile forces. Whereas in many other Commonwealth countries the relevant version of the Victoria Cross can only be awarded for actions against the enemy in a wartime setting, the Canadian government has a broader definition of the term enemy, and so the Victoria Cross can be awarded for action against armed mutineers, pirates, or other such hostile forces without war being officially declared. Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters VC (for both English and French) and also to receive an annuity of C$3,000. The decoration has not been awarded since its inception.

The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.

Victoria Cross may also refer to:

• Victoria Cross for Australia, instituted in 1991
• Victoria Cross (Canada), instituted in 1993
• Victoria Cross for New Zealand, instituted in 1999
• Victoria Cross Ranges, mountain range in Alberta, Canada
• Annie Sophie Cory or Victoria Cross (1868-1952), British novelist
• Victoria Cross railway station, proposed railway station in Sydney, Australia
• Victorian Cross, also called the Victorian, is a strength move in men's gymnastics performed on the rings. It is an inverted Maltese Cross.

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award of the United Kingdom honours system. It is awarded for gallantry " in the face of the enemy" to members of the British armed forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. These investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace.

The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. Since then, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. Only 15 medals, 11 to members of the British Army, and four to the Australian Army, have been awarded since the Second World War. The traditional explanation of the source of the metal from which the medals are struck is that it derives from Russian cannon captured at the Siege of Sevastopol. Some research suggested a variety of origins for the material actually making up the medals themselves. Research has established that the metal for the medals came from two Chinese cannons that were captured from the Russians in 1855.

Owing to its rarity, the VC is highly prized and the medal has fetched over £400,000 at auction. A number of public and private collections are devoted to the Victoria Cross. The private collection of Lord Ashcroft, amassed since 1986, contains over one-tenth of all VCs awarded. Following a 2008 donation to the Imperial War Museum, the Ashcroft collection went on public display alongside the museum's Victoria and George Cross collection in November 2010.

Beginning with the Centennial of Confederation in 1967, Canada followed in 1975 by Australia and New Zealand developed their own national honours systems, separate and independent of the British or Imperial honours system. As each country's system evolved, operational gallantry awards were developed with the premier award of each system, the VC for Australia, the Canadian VC and the VC for New Zealand being created and named in honour of the Victoria Cross. These are unique awards of each honours system, recommended, assessed, gazetted and presented by each country.