The Victoria Cross

Introduced in 1856, the Victoria Cross (or VC) is the highest military recognition one can receive for valor and bravery in the face of the enemy. The medal itself, which features a lion standing guard over a royal crown and the words “for valor,” is said to be cast from two canons that were captured from the Russians during the siege of Sevastopol.

Since 1856, there have been 1,356 medals awarded (there are only twelve living VC recipients remaining) with the most recent being a posthumous award given in 2006 for actions during the war in Afghanistan. Given the prestigious nature of the medal and its scarcity, VCs are commanding hefty prices on the second hand market, with Kerry Stokes recently paying $A1 million for a VC awarded during the First World War which was awarded to Captain Alfred Shout.

One of the Australian recipients of the award was Lawrence Dominic ‘Fats’ McCarthy. McCarthy received his VC during the First World War for a supreme act of bravery and courage. With his battalion under fire from well placed enemy machine guns, Lieutenant McCarthy broke across open ground, stormed a machine gun position and took control of the gun. He then fought his way down the trench with a companion before joining up with an adjoining unit. During this action he killed 22 men, took 50 prisoners and captured 5 machine guns.

A common practice among soldiers awarded medals was to get miniatures of the awards they had received to wear upon their breast instead of the actual ones. These miniatures were lighter and not as valuable or cumbersome as the real ones which meant that the serviceman or woman could wear them more often. Lawrence McCarthy had such a set made up, displaying his VC along with a 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, 1937 and 1953 Coronation Medals and the Croix de Guerre avec Palme.

For more information on these medals or McCarthy please contact us.