Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

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Distinguished Flying Cross

The Distinguished Flying Cross is part of the British order system as a military war award . It is awarded to members of the Royal Air Force for bravery while actively participating in acts of war. It used to be awarded to officers from other Commonwealth nations . In the meantime, this tradition has been resumed since 2001. Awards were made to members of the Royal Canadian Navy , Royal Canadian Air Force , Canadian Army and the Indian armed forces as well as the Gurkhas . Equal awards are the Distinguished Service Cross of theRoyal Navy and the Military Cross of the British Army .

history

The award was donated on June 3, 1918, immediately after the Royal Air Force was founded. Originally it could be awarded to officers and warrant officers . Since the end of the Second World War , it has also been awarded to army and naval aviators of this rank. In 1993 it was expanded to include all career groups after the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal was discontinued.

During the First World War , the award was given to around 1,100 men, of which 70 were twice and in three cases three times. During World War II, the Distinguished Flying Cross was the United Kingdom's most widely awarded war award, with 20,354 awards. Around 1,550 men received two awards and 45 three times, and 1289 (as of January 2016) awards were given to members of allied air forces.

In 2008, Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman became the first woman to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Order structure

The award is one class. However, like all British war awards, the award can be awarded multiple times. This is then indicated by a special clasp ("bar") on the medal ribbon.

insignia

The medal is an isosceles cross with a 2 1/8 inch diameter. The upper leg ends in a rose, on the two vertical legs propeller blades are shown. In the middle is the Royal Air Force monogram with the Imperial State Crown surrounded by a laurel wreath .

On the back there are the initials of the reigning British monarch and on the lower bar the year of the award. The medal was designed by the artist Edward Carter Preston .

The ribbon on which the award is worn has alternating dark purple and white stripes that were originally horizontal, but have been arranged diagonally since 1919. The ribbon is bordered at the bottom by a silver bar on which bay leaves are depicted.

Hierarchy and privileges

The award winners have no position in the protocol Aryan ranking in the UK ( Order of Precedence ). Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross are entitled to use the abbreviation “DFC” or, if applicable, “DFC & Bar” or “DFC & Two Bars” after their name, which refers to the award (so-called “post-nominal”).

literature

  • Nick Carter, Carol Carter: The Distinguished Flying Cross and how it was won 1918–1995 . 2 volumes. Savannah, London 1998, ISBN 1-902366-00-X .

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