Victoria Cross & VC

Cross patté (described in the Royal Warrant as a 'Maltese cross of bronze') having at its centre a crown surmounted by 'lion gardant'; beneath the crown, an ornamentally draped scroll bearing the motto: 'FOR VALOUR'. Raised borders outline the shape of the cross. The plain reverse bears a central circle (with raised edge) to enclose the date of the act of gallantry. The suspension bar comprises a straight laurelled bar with integral 'V' lug; the plain reverse of the suspension bar is engraved with details of the recipient. The 1½-inch wide ribbon is crimson. This Victoria Cross is engraved as follows: 'W/C G. L. CHESHIRE. R. A. F. NO. 617 SQUADRON'. The recipient's name and service details are inscribed on the reverse of the suspension bar, and the date of award, '4th SEPT 1944', is inscribed on the reverse of the medal in the central circle. [Note: originally the ribbon for the VC was dark blue for Royal Navy recipients and crimson (described as 'red' in the Warrants) for the Army. After the formation of the Royal Air Force (1 April 1918) the crimson ribbon (sometimes described as 'claret', 'maroon' or 'dark red'), was adopted for all recipients. When present, a straight laurelled Bar (in the same form as the suspension bar but without the 'V' lug) indicates a subsequent award.]

Second World War period Victoria Cross (VC) awarded to Group Captain The Lord Cheshire of Woodall VC, OM, DSO**, DFC (1917-1992). Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire was born at Chester in 1917. He read Law at Oxford where he joined the University Air Squadron. His VC was, unusually, awarded for constant gallantry over a period of nearly four years. A summary of the citation, published in the London Gazette 8 September 1944, reads as follows: 'From June 1940 when his operational career began, until the end of his fourth tour in July 1944, when he had completed a total of 100 missions Wing Commander Cheshire displayed the courage an d determination of an exceptional leader. During his fourth tour he pioneered a new method of marking enemy targets flying in at a very low level in the face of strong defences. In four years of fighting against the bitterest opposition he maintained a standard of outstanding personal achievement, his successful operations being the result of careful planning brilliant execution and supreme contempt for danger'. After the Second World War Leonard Cheshire set up the charitable Foundation that bears his name. (One of a bar of 10 medals, OMD 3700-3709.)

The full citation for Leonard Cheshire's VC was published in the Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette of Tuesday, the 5th of September, 1944 (No 36693, pp.4175-4176) - 'in recognition of most conspicuous bravery': 'Wing Commander Geoffrey Leonard CHESHIRE, D.S.O., D.F.C. (72021), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 617 Squadron. This officer began his operational career in June, 1940. Against strongly-defended targets he soon displayed the courage and determination of an exceptional leader. He was always ready to accept extra risks to ensure success. Defying the formidable Ruhr defences, he frequently released his bombs from below 2,000 feet. Over Cologne in November, 1940, a shell burst inside his aircraft, blowing out one side and starting a fire; undeterred, he went on to bomb his target. About this time, he carried out a number of convoy patrols in addition to his bombing missions. At the end of his first tour of operational duty in January, 1941, he immediately volunteered for a second. Again, he pressed home his attacks with the utmost gallantry. Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Duisberg, Essen and Kiel were among the heavily-defended targets which he attacked. When he was posted for instructional duties in January, 1942, he undertook four more operational missions. He started a third operational tour in August, 1942, when he was given command of a squadron. He led the squadron with outstanding skill on a number of missions before being appointed in March, 1943, as a station commander. In October, 1943, he undertook a fourth operational tour, relinquishing the rank of group captain at his own request so that he could again take part in operations. He immediately set to work as the pioneer of a new method of marking enemy targets involving very low flying. In June, 1944, when marking a target in the harbour at Le Havre in broad daylight and without cloud cover, he dived well below the range of the light batteries before releasing his marker bombs, and he came very near to being destroyed by the strong barrage which concentrated on him. During his fourth tour which ended in July, 1944, Wing Commander Cheshire led his squadron personally on every occasion, always undertaking the most dangerous and difficult task of marking the target alone from a low level in the face of strong defences. Wing Commander Cheshire's cold and calculated acceptance of risks is exemplified by his conduct in an attack on Munich in April, 1944. This was an experimental attack to test out the new method of target marking at low level against a heavily-defended target situated deep in Reich territory. Munich was selected, at Wing Commander Cheshire's request, because of the formidable nature of its light anti-aircraft and searchlight defences. He was obliged to follow, in bad weather, a direct route which took him over the defences of Augsburg and thereafter he was continuously under fire. As he reached the target, flares were being released by our high-flying aircraft. He was illuminated from above and below. All guns within range opened fire on him. Diving to 700 feet, he dropped his markers with great precision and began to climb away. So blinding were the searchlights that he almost lost control. He then flew over the city at 1,000 feet to assess the accuracy of his work and direct other aircraft. His own was badly hit by shell fragments but he continued to fly over the target area until he was satisfied that, he had done all in his power to ensure success. Eventually, when he set course for base, the task of disengaging himself from the defences proved even more hazardous than the approach. For a full twelve minutes after leaving the target area he was under withering fire but he came safely through. Wing Commander Cheshire has now completed a total of 100 missions. In four years of fighting against the bitterest opposition he has maintained a record of outstanding personal achievement, placing himself invariably in the forefront of the battle.What he did in the Munich operation was typical of the careful planning, brilliant, execution and contempt for danger which has established for Wing Commander Cheshire a reputation second to none in Bomber Command.

W/C G. L. CHESHIRE. R. A. F. NO. 617 SQUADRON

4TH SEPT. 1944