Cross of Valour (Australia)

Cross of Valour
Awarded by Australia
Type	Medal
Eligibility	Australian Citizen
Awarded for	"acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril "[1]
Status	Currently awarded
Statistics
Established	14 February 1975
First awarded	1989
Last awarded	2003
Total awarded	5
Precedence
Equivalent	Victoria Cross for Australia[2][3]
Next (lower)	Star of Courage

The Cross of Valour is Australia's highest civilian award for bravery. It was established in 1975 to replace the British George Cross, previously awarded to Australians.

The Cross of Valour is awarded "only for acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril". The award carries the post-nominal initial of CV; awards may be made posthumously.

Government allowance

The Government of Australia may grant an allowance to veterans or serving members of the Australian Defence Force who have been awarded the Cross of Valour, or other awards for gallantry. At November 2007, this allowance was A$2.10 per fortnight.^[4]

Description

• The Cross of Valour is a gold, straight-armed cross pattée with diminishing rays between the arms. It is ensigned with the Crown of St Edward.
• The obverse has the shield and crest of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms surmounted by a Federation Star. A suspender bar is engraved with the words 'For Valour'.
• The ribbon is 38mm wide, magenta with a central 16mm blood-red band. The two reds in the ribbon represent the colours of venous and arterial blood.

List of recipients

The Cross of Valour has been awarded to only five living recipients, two of which are for bravery after the Bali terrorist bombing of 12 October 2002.

To date, two Australian Police Officers have been afforded this honour, one being a New South Wales Police Force Officer, Senior Constable Alan Sparkes CV, the other being a Western Australian Police Officer Senior Constable Timothy Ian Britten CV.

2003

• Senior Constable Timothy Ian Britten, WA - Entered the bombed Bali nightclub to rescue a badly injured woman, and then continued to search for survivors despite personal injury and ongoing explosions.^[5][6]
• Mr Richard John Joyes, Geologist, WA - Entered the bombed Bali nightclub to rescue a badly injured woman, and then continued to search for survivors despite personal injury and ongoing explosions.^[7][8]

1998

• Senior Constable Allan Sparkes, NSW - Rescuing a drowning boy from a flooded storm water drain.^[6][9]

1995

• Mr Victor Alan Boscoe, Qld - Pursued a pair of armed robbers sustaining gunshot wounds and lacerations to parts of his body during the process.^[6][10]

1989

• Mr Darrell James Tree, Captain of Mount Damper Fire Brigade, SA - Rescued a 3-year-old child from electrocution.^[11] Full details:^[6][12]

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of Australia
• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
• Cross of Valour - Canadian counterpart

References

1. ^ Cross of Valour, itsanhonour.gov.au
2. ^ Staunton, Anthony (2005). Victoria Cross: Australia's Finest and the Battles They Fought. Prahan, Victoria, Australia: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 1-74066-288-1. p. 350
3. ^ The Cross of Valour (Australia) is the highest civilian award for bravery and in the Australian Honours Order of Precedence Order of wear is subordinate to the Victoria Cross for Australia.
4. ^ "Veteran's Entitlements Act 1986 - Sect 102". Commonwealth Consolidated Acts. Australasian Legal Information Institute. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/vea1986261/s102.html. Retrieved 2007-11-17. 
5. ^ "Search Australian Honours - Simple Search, Name: BRITTEN, Timothy Ian". It's an honour, Australia celebrating Australians (website). Australian Government. 2006-12-12. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1044243&search_type=simple&showInd=true. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d} "Cross of Valour - Citations". Website of the Australian Bravery Association. Australian Bravery Association. 2003-05-14. http://www.forbravery.org/crossvalour.html. Retrieved 2009-12-12. 
7. ^ "Search Australian Honours - Simple Search, Name: JOYES, Richard John". It's an honour, Australia celebrating Australians (website). Australian Government. 2006-12-12. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1044249&search_type=simple&showInd=true. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
8. ^ After Bali, Four Corners, abc.net.au
9. ^ "Courageous policeman saves drowning boy". It's an honour, Australia celebrating Australians (website). Australian Government. 2006-04-24. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honoured/sparkes.cfm. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
10. ^ "Search Australian Honours - Simple Search, Name: BOSCOE, Victor Alan". It's an honour, Australia celebrating Australians (website). Australian Government. 2006-04-24. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=866793&search_type=simple&showInd=true. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
11. ^ "Search Australian Honours - Simple Search, Name: TREE, Darrell James". It's an honour, Australia celebrating Australians (website). Australian Government. 2006-04-24. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=866795&search_type=simple&showInd=true. Retrieved 2007-03-31. 
12. ^ Tenace, Lisa; Brenton Ragless; Krista St John (April 2005). "Our Local Cross of Valour Winner – Mr Darrell Tree, Mount Damper Brigade Captain" (PDF). FireFront e-news, April/May 2005. South Australian Country Fire Service. Archived from the original on 2007-03-31. http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:P-XwfbByLtcJ:www.cfs.org.au/about/pdf/04%25202005%2520FIREFRONT.pdf+Mr+Darrell+Tree&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us. Retrieved 2007-03-31.