Military Medal (M.M.)

The Military Cross (M.C.) group of Captain CL Wood, M.C. (Click image for full group) - Photo by Sgt A Majoor. (The RCR Museum Collection.)

The Royal Canadian Regiment and
The First World War - 1914-1919

The Royal Warrant for the Military Cross (M.C.)

The original text of the Royal Warrant as published in the London Gazette authorisng the intitution of the Military Medal follows:

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE,
1 JANUARY, 1915.

War Office,

1st January, 1915.

ROYAL WARRANT instituting a new Decoration, entitled "The Military Cross."

GEORGE, R.I.

GEORGE THE FIFTH by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting; Whereas Wehave taken into Our Royal consideration the distinguished services in time of War of Officers of certain ranks in Our Army; And whereas We are desirous of signifying Our appreciation of such services by a mark of Our Royal favour We do by these Presents for Us Our heirs and successors institute and create a Cross to be awarded to Officers whose distinguished and meritorious services have been brought to Our notice.

Firstly: It is ordained that the Cross shall be designated "The Military Cross."

Secondly: It is ordained that The Military Cross shall consist of a Cross of silver having on each arm Our Imperial Crown and bearing in the centre the letters G.R.I.

Thirdly: It is ordained that no person shall be eligible for this Decoration nor be nominated thereto unless he is a Captain, a Commissioned Officer of a lower grade, or a Warrant Officer in Our Army, or Our Indian or Colonial Military Forces, and that The Military Cross shall be awarded only to Officers of the above ranks on a recommendation to Us by Our Principal Secretary of State for War.

Fourthly: It is ordained that Foreign Officers of an equivalent rank to those above mentioned, who have, been associated in Military operations with Our Army, or Our Indian or Colonial Military Forces shall be eligible for the Honorary award of The Military Cross.

Fifthly: It is ordained that the names of those upon whom We may be pleased to confer this Decoration shall be published in the London Gazette, and that a Register thereof shall be kept in the Office of Our Principal Secretary of State for War.

Sixthly: It is ordained that The Military Cross shall be worn immediately after all Orders and before all Decorations and Medals (the Victoria Cross alone excepted), and shall be worn on the left breast pendent from a riband of one inch and three-eighths in width, which shall be in colour white with a purple stripe.

Seventhly: It is ordained that The Military Cross shall not confer any individual precedence, and shall not entitle the recipient to any addition after his name as part of his description or title.

Eighthly: It is ordained that any person whom by an especial Warrant under Our Royal Sign Manual We declare to have forfeited The Military Cross shall return the said Decoration to the Office of Our Principal Secretary of State for War, and that his name shall be erased from the Register of those upon whom the said Decoration shall have been conferred.

Lastly: We reserve to Ourself, Our heirs and successors full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting, or dispensing with these Regulations, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Royal Sign Manual.

Given at Our Court at St. James's, this 28th day of December, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen, in the Fifth year of Our Reign.

By His Majesty's Command.

Kitchener.

View the list of Military Cross recipients of The Royal Canadian Regiment for the First World War.

Pro Patria