Victoria Cross for Australia

The Victoria Cross for Australia (VC) is the highest military decoration given for bravery "in the face of the enemy" to members of the Australia Armed Forces. The medal was called the Victoria Cross, but the name was changed in 1991.^[1] The Victoria Cross was started in 1856 for bravery in the Crimean War. The first medals were made from captured Russian cannons.^[2] The Victoria Cross for Australia looks exactly the same as the Victoria Cross.^[3]

The first winner of the Victoria Cross for Australia is SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson. Donaldson won the medal for bravery in Afghanistan in September 2008. The medal was given to him in a ceremony on January 16, 2009.^[4] He was the first winner of a VC for 40 years.

1. ↑ Woodley, Naomi (January 16, 2009). "SAS Trooper awarded first Australia Victoria Cross in 40 years". PM Radio National. ABC. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
2. ↑ "War Memorial has biggest collection of VC's in the world". The Independent Weekly, January 16, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-01-19. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
3. ↑ Brasch, Nicolas (2003). Extreme Bravery: Australia's Victoria Cross recipients, Book 2. Melbourne, Australia: Echidna Books. ISBN 1740708008.
4. ↑ Lawrence, Kara (January 19, 2009). "Victoria Cross recipient SAS Trooper Mark Donaldson at heart of murder mystery". The Australian Online. News Limited. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2009.