Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It is first in the order of wear in the United Kingdom honours system, and takes precedence over all other orders, decorations, and medals, including the Order of the Garter. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The VC is usually presented to the recipient or to their next of kin by the British monarch at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace.   

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Victoria Cross for New Zealand was instituted in 1999 to replace the British Victoria Cross for future awards to New Zealand military personnel.The medal and ribbon for the Victoria Cross for New Zealand is identical to the British Victoria Cross instituted in 1856.The Victoria Cross for New Zealand is the premier New Zealand award for gallantry. It is awarded for ‘most conspicuous gallantry, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour, self sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy or of belligerents'. There are three other awards for gallantry in the New Zealand honours system: the New Zealand Gallantry Star, the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration, and the New Zealand Gallantry Medal.The Victoria Cross for New Zealand is a bronze cross paty or formy (with straight edges). In the centre of the cross is the Royal Crest above a scroll inscribed with the words "For Valour". The cross is attached by the letter "V" to a straight bronze suspender bar bearing laurel leaves.

From New Zealand Defence Force

The Victoria Cross is the highest British decoration awarded to members of the armed forces for valour while on active service, and was bestowed upon New Zealand servicemen in all of the three major wars in which New Zealand forces were engaged overseas. It was also awarded to a New Zealand militiaman and to 14 Royal Navy and Imperial Army personnel during the Second Maori War of 1860–72.

The original Royal Warrant instituting the Victoria Cross, dated 29 January 1856, restricted the award to “Our Naval and Military Services”, and required submissions from “Our Commander-in-Chief of Our Army” before an award could be made. In 1864, when Captain Charles Heaphy of the Auckland Militia was recommended for the Victoria Cross by the General Officer Commanding the Forces in New Zealand, the award was not approved because it was held that locally raised forces did not constitute an authorised part of the Imperial Army and were, therefore, ineligible under a strict interpretation of the existing Royal Warrant. Further strong representations made on Heaphy's behalf pointed out that he had initially been recommended by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Henry Havelock, himself a Victoria Cross winner during the Indian Mutiny, and by whom he had been placed in command of a detachment of Imperial troops.

From New Zealand 1966