Consideration for the Victoria Cross - Afghanistan

[The Bread Guy]

Nevertheless, I would be very interested to one day read all the recommendations, Record of Discussions, and relevant documents regarding the various Military Valour Decorations committee meetings and decisons.

No guarantees but $5’ll get ya started

Access to information request form

This form is being offered to you on-line as a service and is available in Rich Text Format (RTF) only.

www.tbs-sct.canada.ca

It MIGHT be interesting to see what comes out of that.

 

[Rifleman62]

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[dapaterson]

Nothing will come out. Recommendations are Honours in Confidence, and considered advice to the Crown.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Nothing will come out. Recommendations are Honours in Confidence, and considered advice to the Crown.

Thanks for the REST of the story - appreciated!

 

[torg003]

It seems the Canadian VC will never be awarded for similar actions in WW1 and 2. It is held to a higher standard. Why? May lie in the fact that we only have a finite amount of official VC bronze to make them. I would say maybe we should consider changing the top military award for valour to something else. Melt down the current VCs that have been cast (throw in more Canadian bronze to produce a few more ingots. and design a new award that fits with the rest of the military valour awards. You could keep the crimson ribbon (maybe make it a neck ribbon like the CV) and the cross patte shape. but with the same maple leaf within a laurel wreath design used on the other military valour awards. Call it the Cross of Military Valour to fit better with the Star and Medal of Military Valour. But if that sounds too generic, maybe call it the Canadian War Cross (Croix de Guerre Canadien). I know, never will happen, but seems a shame that we will probably never see any awarded (except for an very extreme act of self sacrifice like falling on a live grenade to save ones comrades). A member of the CF shouldn't have to commit suicide to save his/her comrades to be considered for the top Canadian Military Valour award.

 

[GR66]

It seems the Canadian VC will never be awarded for similar actions in WW1 and 2. It is held to a higher standard. Why? May lie in the fact that we only have a finite amount of official VC bronze to make them. I would say maybe we should consider changing the top military award for valour to something else. Melt down the current VCs that have been cast (throw in more Canadian bronze to produce a few more ingots. and design a new award that fits with the rest of the military valour awards. You could keep the crimson ribbon (maybe make it a neck ribbon like the CV) and the cross patte shape. but with the same maple leaf within a laurel wreath design used on the other military valour awards. Call it the Cross of Military Valour to fit better with the Star and Medal of Military Valour. But if that sounds too generic, maybe call it the Canadian War Cross (Croix de Guerre Canadien). I know, never will happen, but seems a shame that we will probably never see any awarded (except for an very extreme act of self sacrifice like falling on a live grenade to save ones comrades). A member of the CF shouldn't have to commit suicide to save his/her comrades to be considered for the top Canadian Military Valour award.

From ChatGPT:

• Canada issued its own version of the Victoria Cross in 2008.
• That medal’s bronze came from a blend of:
  
  1. A sliver of original cascabel bronze from Donnington
  2. Metal from a 1867 Confederation Medal
  3. Metals from across Canada
• Twenty blanks were cast and remain held at Rideau Hall, though none have yet been awarded.

I see no reason that any supposed lack of "official VC bronze" should lead Canada to drop the Victoria Cross in favour of some alternate award. Better in my mind to simply adjust the source of the bronze used in order to keep making new medals if necessary. I also seriously doubt that a concern for the availability of the metal to make VC's has factored in to the decision making to grant or not grant VC's in the post-WWII era.

 

[lenaitch]

According to this webpage, they have cast 20 Canadian VCs each containing a portion of "official VC bronze" (as mentioned above), so we're good for a while. It seems they ran out of Crimean cannon bronze in 1914.

 

[The Bread Guy]

... It seems they ran out of Crimean cannon bronze in 1914.

And somehow, more VC's were minted, right? Good point.

 

[Haggis]

According to this webpage, they have cast 20 Canadian VCs each containing a portion of "official VC bronze" (as mentioned above), so we're good for a while. It seems they ran out of Crimean cannon bronze in 1914.

"Your Excellency, may I have a VC to present to a worthy and deserving service member?"

"No. There are none available."

"But you have twenty!"

"Yes, and if I give you one, I'll only have 19 and an empty space in this rack."

Now substitute "your Excellency" with "RQ" and "VC" with any piece of "desirable kit" and you'll understand where I'm coming from.

 

[Staff Weenie]

"Your Excellency, may I have a VC to present to a worthy and deserving service member?"

"No. There are none available."

"But you have twenty!"

"Yes, and if I give you one, I'll only have 19 and an empty space in this rack."

Now substitute "your Excellency" with "RQ" and "VC" with any piece of "desirable kit" and you'll understand where I'm coming from.

I didn't know they worked in Clothing Stores???

 

[Maxman1]

It seems the Canadian VC will never be awarded for similar actions in WW1 and 2. It is held to a higher standard. Why? May lie in the fact that we only have a finite amount of official VC bronze to make them. I would say maybe we should consider changing the top military award for valour to something else. Melt down the current VCs that have been cast (throw in more Canadian bronze to produce a few more ingots. and design a new award that fits with the rest of the military valour awards. You could keep the crimson ribbon (maybe make it a neck ribbon like the CV) and the cross patte shape. but with the same maple leaf within a laurel wreath design used on the other military valour awards. Call it the Cross of Military Valour to fit better with the Star and Medal of Military Valour. But if that sounds too generic, maybe call it the Canadian War Cross (Croix de Guerre Canadien). I know, never will happen, but seems a shame that we will probably never see any awarded (except for an very extreme act of self sacrifice like falling on a live grenade to save ones comrades). A member of the CF shouldn't have to commit suicide to save his/her comrades to be considered for the top Canadian Military Valour award.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

It seems the Canadian VC will never be awarded for similar actions in WW1 and 2. It is held to a higher standard. Why? May lie in the fact that we only have a finite amount of official VC bronze to make them. I would say maybe we should consider changing the top military award for valour to something else. Melt down the current VCs that have been cast (throw in more Canadian bronze to produce a few more ingots. and design a new award that fits with the rest of the military valour awards. You could keep the crimson ribbon (maybe make it a neck ribbon like the CV) and the cross patte shape. but with the same maple leaf within a laurel wreath design used on the other military valour awards. Call it the Cross of Military Valour to fit better with the Star and Medal of Military Valour. But if that sounds too generic, maybe call it the Canadian War Cross (Croix de Guerre Canadien). I know, never will happen, but seems a shame that we will probably never see any awarded (except for an very extreme act of self sacrifice like falling on a live grenade to save ones comrades). A member of the CF shouldn't have to commit suicide to save his/her comrades to be considered for the top Canadian Military Valour award.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Maybe Carney can knit some scarves to hand out instead.