George Medal
The George Medal is the second highest civilian award in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth after the George Cross . It is given for extraordinary courage. It is made of silver and has a diameter of 36 millimeters. The award was made during the Second World War on September 24, 1940 by George VI. introduced at the same time as the George Cross. It is intended as a lower award class under the Georgs-Kreuz in order to be able to keep the circle of those awarded the Georgs-Kreuz small.
Since 1977 it can also be awarded posthumously.
Award winners (selection)
The first George Medal was awarded to Patrick King of Shiremoor , Northumberland . He had rescued a blind woman from a house during an air raid.
Well-known individuals who have been awarded the George Medal include:
- Harry Cobby (1894–1955), Australian Air Force officer
- Marie Louise Dissard (1881–1957), French member of the Resistance
- Mike Hailwood (1940–1981), British motorcycle and automobile racer
- Andrée de Jongh (1916–2007), Belgian nurse and escape helper in World War II
- Tenzing Norgay (1914–1986), Nepalese Sherpa and one of the first to climb Mount Everest
- David Purley (1945–1985), British Formula 1 racing driver
- Nancy Wake (1912–2011), British saboteur in France during World War II
Individual evidence
- ↑ The George Medal ( Memento of May 31, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) in Stephen Stratford: Stephen's Study Room: British Military & Criminal History in the period 1900 to 1999 .
- ^ First Award Of The George Medal - Blind Woman Rescued . The Times (London). Tuesday October 1, 1940, p. 4.
- ↑ Heroines of the Resistance
- ↑ grandprix.com: DRIVERS: MIKE HAILWOOD
- ↑ independent.co.uk: Andre de Jongh: Organizer of the Comet line