Victoria Cross
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| Distinct recipients | 1,355 |
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| ID | 2331388 |
About Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously.
Ben Roberts-Smith: Australia's top soldier appeals over war crimes defamation trial
... A judge last month ruled articles alleging the Victoria Cross recipient had murdered four Afghans were true...
Ben Roberts-Smith: Top soldier won't apologise for alleged war crimes
... The Victoria Cross recipient says he is innocent and will consider an appeal...
Ben Roberts-Smith: Australian soldier loses landmark defamation case
... The 44-year-old received Australia s highest military award - the Victoria Cross - in 2011 for having single-handedly overpowered Taliban machine-gunners who had been attacking his SAS platoon...
Ben Roberts-Smith: How war hero's defamation case has rocked Australia
... He received Australia s highest military award - the Victoria Cross - for having single-handedly overpowered Taliban machine-gunners who had been attacking his Special Air Service (SAS) platoon...
Coronation order of service in full
... Music before the service: Magnificat anima mea from Magnificat in D BWV 243 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen from Christmas Oratorio BWV 248 Johann Sebastian BachSinget dem Herrn ein neues Lied from New Year Cantata BWV 190 Johann Sebastian BachEcce sacerdos magnus Anton Bruckner (1824-96)Alla breve in D BWV 589 Johann Sebastian BachBrighter visions shine afar* Judith Weir (b 1954)Jupiter from The Planets Gustav Holst (1874-1934) arranged by Iain Farrington (b 1977)Crossing the Stone/Tros y Garreg Karl Jenkins (b 1944)Sacred Fire* Sarah Class (b 1979)Crown Imperial William Walton (1902-83), composed for the Coronation of George VI (1937), arranged by John Rutter (b 1945)Fantasia on Greensleeves Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)Be thou my vision; Triptych for Orchestra* traditional Irish melodyNigel Hess (b 1953), Roderick Williams (b 1965), and Shirley Thompson (b 1958)Voices of the World* Iain FarringtonCoronation March* Patrick Doyle (b 1953)Trumpet Tune Henry Purcell (1659-95)Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)Oh, had I Jubal s lyre from Joshua George Frideric HandelCare selve from Atalanta George Frideric HandelNimrod from Variations on an Original Theme Edward Elgar (1857-1934) arranged by Iain FarringtonFlourish for an Occasion William Harris (1883-1973)Prelude on Rhosymedre Ralph Vaughan WilliamsProcession of faith leaders and representatives VergerDr Wendi Cunningham Momen MBE Director and Trustee, National Spiritual Assembly of The Baha is of the United KingdomMehool Sanghrajka MBE Institute of JainologyMalcolm Deboo President, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of EuropeThe Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain, Head Monk of the London Buddhist ViharaThe Right Honourable the Lord Singh of Wimbledon CBE Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations UKVisakha Dasi President of Bhaktivedanta Manor TempleAliya Azam MBE Al Khoei Foundation, Shia Muslim CommunityMufti Sir Hamid Patel CBE Star Academies, Sunni Muslim CommunityChief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis KBE Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the United Hebrew Congregations of the CommonwealthVergerRepresenting the Churches of WalesThe Reverend Simon Walkling President, Free Church Council of WalesThe Most Reverend Mark O Toole Archbishop of CardiffThe Most Reverend Andrew John Archbishop of WalesRepresenting the Churches of ScotlandThe Right Reverend Hugh Gilbert OSB President of the Bishops Conference of ScotlandThe Most Reverend Mark Strange Primus, Scottish Episcopal ChurchThe Right Reverend Dr Iain Greenshields Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of ScotlandRepresenting the Churches of Northern IrelandThe Reverend David Nixon President, Methodist Church in IrelandThe Most Reverend Dr Eamon Martin Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All IrelandThe Right Reverend Dr John Kirkpatrick Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in IrelandThe Most Reverend John McDowell Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and MetropolitanRepresenting the Churches in EnglandPastor Agu Irukwu Senior Pastor, Jesus House UKThe Reverend Canon Helen Cameron Moderator, Free Churches GroupThe Reverend Canon Graham Thompson President, Methodist ConferenceHis Eminence Archbishop Nikitas Archbishop of Thyateira and Great BritainPastor Glyn Barrett National Leader, Assemblies of GodThe Right Reverend Mike Royal General Secretary, Churches Together in EnglandHis Eminence Archbishop Angaelos of London OBE The Coptic Church in Great BritainHis Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols Cardinal Archbishop of WestminsterProcession of the Commonwealth RealmsAntigua and BarbudaAustraliaThe BahamasBelizeCanadaGrenadaJamaicaNew ZealandPapua New GuineaSaint Christopher and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSolomon IslandsTuvaluThe United KingdomProcession of the King and Queen (beginning)BeadleThe Cross of Wales and LightsSerjeant of the VestryThe Reverend Canon Paul Wright LVO Sub-Dean of His Majesty s Chapels RoyalThe Very Reverend Professor David Fergusson OBE Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the ThistleThe Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally DBE Dean of His Majesty s Chapels RoyalThe Right Reverend David Conner KCVO Dean of WindsorThe Right Reverend Dr John Inge Lord High AlmonerThe Right Reverend James Newcome DL Clerk of the ClosetPrimatial Cross of York borne by The Reverend Dr Jenny Wright, Chaplain to The Archbishop of YorkThe Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell Lord Archbishop of York and Primate of EnglandPursuivants of ArmsRouge Croix PursuivantBluemantle PursuivantMarch Pursuivant ExtraordinaryLinlithgow Pursuivant ExtraordinaryOrmond PursuivantPortcullis PursuivantRouge Dragon PursuivantFalkland Pursuivant ExtraordinaryUnicorn PursuivantCarrick PursuivantOrders of Chivalry and Gallantry Award HoldersThe Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood Lieutenant Colonel Stephen SegraveThe Order of Canada Professor Margaret MacMillan OM CH CCThe Order of New Zealand Richard McCaw ONZThe Order of Companions of Honour The Lord Coe CH KBEThe Royal Victorian Order Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew Ford GCVOThe Order of Merit The Right Reverend the Lord Eames OMThe Most Venerable Order of St John Professor Mark Compton AM GCStJThe Order of Australia Yvonne Kenny AMKnights Bachelor The Right Honourable Sir Gary HickinbottomThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Dame Susan Ion GBEThe Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George The Right Honourable the Baroness Ashton of Upholland LG GCMGThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton GCBThe Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle The Right Honourable the Lord Hope of Craighead KTCross of Valour, Australia Richard Joyes CVNew Zealand Cross Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah NZCVictoria Cross, New Zealand Bill Henry Apiata VCThe Most Noble Order of the Garter Lady Mary Peters LG CH DBECross of Valour, Canada First Officer Leslie Arthur Palmer CVThe George Cross Dominic Troulan GC QGMVictoria Cross, Australia Corporal Daniel Keighram VCThe Victoria Cross Keith Payne VC AMHeralds of ArmsAlbany Herald ExtraordinaryRothesay HeraldMarchmont HeraldThe Standard of the Principality of Wales borne by the Marquess of AngleseyStandards of the Quarterings of the Royal Arms borne by The Duke of Westminster The Earl of Caledon KCVO The Earl of Dundee DLThe Royal Standard borne by Francis DymokeJo Churchill MP Vice Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Right Honourable Marcus Jones MP Treasurer of the HouseholdRebecca Harris MP Comptroller of the HouseholdBeadleThe Cross of Westminster and LightsThe Reverend Ralph Godsall Acting Minor CanonThe Reverend Mark Birch MVO Minor Canon and PrecentorThe Reverend Robert Latham Minor Canon and SacristPaul Baumann CBE Receiver GeneralSir Kenneth Olisa OBE High BailiffCanons VergerThe Venerable Tricia Hillas Canon Steward and Archdeacon of WestminsterThe Right Reverend Anthony Ball Canon RectorThe Reverend Dr James Hawkey Canon Theologian and AlmonerThe Reverend David Stanton Sub-Dean and Canon TreasurerDean s VergerThe Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE Dean of WestminsterPrimatial Cross of Canterbury borne by The Reverend Tosin Oladipo, Chaplain to the Archbishop of CanterburyThe Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and MetropolitanThe Reverend Canon Adrian Daffern Chaplain Extraordinary to the Archbishop of CanterburyHeralds of ArmsArundel Herald ExtraordinaryNorfolk Herald ExtraordinaryWindsor HeraldYork HeraldWales Herald ExtraordinaryMaltravers Herald ExtraordinaryChester HeraldRichmond HeraldPaul Whybrew CVO RVM Sergeant at ArmsRichard Thompson LVO Sergeant at ArmsThe Queen s Ring borne by The Right Reverend and Right Honourable the Lord Chartres GCVOThe Queen s Rod borne by the Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws KCThe Queen s Sceptre borne by General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB DSO CBE ADC GenThe Queen s Crown borne by the Duke of Wellington OBE DLSt Edward s Staff borne by the Baroness Manningham-Buller LG DCBThe Sceptre with Cross borne by the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry KT KBE CVO DL, High Steward of WestminsterThe Ring borne by Brigadier Andrew Jackson CBE, Keeper of the Jewel HouseThe Spur borne by the Lord HastingsThe Spur borne by the Earl of LoudounThe Armills borne by the Right Honourable the Lord Darzi of Denham OM KBEThe Jewelled Sword of Offering borne by Petty Officer Amy TaylorThe Sword of Temporal Justice borne by General the Lord Houghton of Richmond GCB CBE DLCurtana, The Sword of Mercy borne by Air Chief Marshal the Lord Peach GBE KCB DLThe Sword of Spiritual Justice borne by General the Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DLRobert Noel Norroy and Ulster King of ArmsDr Joseph Morrow CVO CBE KC Lord Lyon King of ArmsTimothy Duke Clarenceux King of ArmsDavid White Garter Principal King of ArmsAlderman Nicholas Lyons DL Lord Mayor of the City of LondonSarah Clarke CVO OBE Lady Usher of the Black RodThe Earl of Courtown Captain, The King s Body Guard of The Yeoman of the GuardThe Earl of Dalhousie GCVO DL Deputy Captain General, The King s Body Guard for ScotlandThe Right Honourable the Baroness Williams of Trafford Captain, His Majesty s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of the Gentlemen at ArmsThe Lord Carrington DL Lord Great ChamberlainThe Earl of Crawford and Balcarres Deputy to the Great Steward of ScotlandThe Earl of Erroll Lord High Constable of ScotlandThe Duke of Norfolk GCVO DL Earl MarshalThe Sword of State borne by the Right Honourable Penny Mordaunt MP, Lord President of the CouncilAdmiral Sir Tony Radakin KCB ADC RN Lord High Constable of EnglandThe Sceptre with Dove borne by the Baroness Benjamin OM DBE DLThe Orb borne by Dame Elizabeth Anionwu OM DBESt Edward s Crown borne by General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB DSO* OBE, Lord High Steward of EnglandThe Most Reverend Dr Hosam Naoum Archbishop in Jerusalem, bearing the Holy BibleThe Right Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin CD MBE Bishop of Dover, bearing the PatenThe Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani Bishop of Chelmsford, bearing the ChaliceThe Right Reverend Richard Jackson Bishop of Hereford, Bishop AssistantHER MAJESTY THE QUEENThe Right Reverend Graham Usher Bishop of Norwich, Bishop AssistantFreddy Parker Bowles Page of HonourArthur Elliot Page of HonourAnnabel Elliot The Queen s CompanionLouis Lopes Page of HonourGus Lopes Page of HonourThe Marchioness of Lansdowne The Queen s CompanionMajor Oliver Plunket The Groom of the RobesThe Right Reverend Dr Michael Beasley Bishop of Bath and Wells, Bishop AssistantHIS MAJESTY THE KINGThe Right Reverend Paul Butler Bishop of Durham, Bishop AssistantNicholas Barclay Page of HonourLord Oliver Cholmondeley Page of HonourRalph Tollemache Page of HonourHis Royal Highness Prince George of Wales Page of HonourLieutenant Colonel Jonathan Thompson The Groom of the RobesThe Lord de Mauley TD Master of the HorseThe Right Honourable Sir Edward Young KCVO Joint Principal Private Secretary to The KingThe Earl of Rosslyn CVO QPM Lord StewardSophie Densham LVO Private Secretary to The QueenThe Right Honourable the Lord Parker of Minsmere GCVO KCBLord Chamberlain The Right Honourable Sir Clive Alderton KCVO Principal Private Secretary to The King and The QueenVice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt KCVO CB OBE Master of the HouseholdSir Michael Stevens KCVO Keeper of the Privy PurseTim Knox Director of the Royal CollectionLieutenant Colonel Michael Vernon Comptroller, Lord Chamberlain s OfficeProcession of the King and the Queen (end)BeadleCross of Westminster and LightsThe Minor CanonsReceiver GeneralHigh Bailiff High StewardCanons VergerThe Canons of WestminsterDean s VergerThe Dean of WestminsterPrimatial Cross of CanterburyThe Archbishop of CanterburyChaplain Extraordinary to the Archbishop of CanterburyThe Sword of Temporal JusticeNorroy and Ulster King of ArmsCurtana, The Sword of MercyLord Lyon King of ArmsThe Sword of Spiritual JusticeClarenceux King of ArmsGarter Principal King of ArmsEarl Marshal Lady Usher of the Black RodThe Jewelled Sword of OfferingHIS MAJESTY THE KINGThe Bishop of Bath and Wells The Bishop of DurhamPages of HonourThe Groom of the RobesHER MAJESTY THE QUEENThe Bishop of Hereford The Bishop of NorwichPages of HonourThe Queen s CompanionsThe Groom of the RobesThe Princess of WalesPrince Louis of WalesThe Duchess of EdinburghThe Lady LouiseMountbatten-WindsorVice Admiral Sir Tim LaurenceThe Duchess of GloucesterThe Prince of WalesPrincess Charlotte of WalesThe Duke of EdinburghEarl of WessexThe Princess RoyalThe Duke of GloucesterRelated Topics...
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Ben Roberts-Smith: How war hero's defamation case has rocked Australia
By Tiffanie TurnbullBBC News, Sydney
For months on end, Australia 's most-decorated living soldier sat stoically in a Sydney courtroom as dozens of witnesses accused him of War Crimes , bullying peers, and assaulting his mistress.
But Ben Roberts-Smith was not The One On Trial .
The 44-year-old had brought The case, suing three Australian newspapers over a series of articles in 2018 which he says defamed him. He argues they ruined his life by painting him as a callous man who had broken The moral and legal rules of War , disgracing his country in The Process .
But The media outlets say they reported The Truth , and have set out to prove it.
It is The First Time in history any court has been tasked with assessing allegations of War Crimes by Australian forces.
Lasting 110 days and costing up to an estimated A$25m ($16. 3m, £13. 2m), The Trial has heard extraordinary and at times bizarre Evidence about every facet of Mr Roberts-Smith's life.
It sparked a media frenzy, captured national attention, and has made Mr Roberts-Smith The Public face of accusations of Australian War Crimes in Afghanistan.
After sifting through volumes of Evidence , This Week a Judge is due to hand down a decision in The historic case.
Hero or criminal?When Mr Roberts-Smith finished his final tour of Afghanistan in 2012 , he returned home a hero.
He received Australia 's highest military Award - The Victoria Cross - for having single-handedly overpowered Taliban machine-gunners who had been attacking his Special Air Service (Sas ) platoon.
More accolades and admiration followed. He was crowned Father of The Year in 2013, appointed to high-profile executive positions, given prestigious speaking engagements and featured in massive portraits in The Australian War Memorial .
But Mr Roberts-Smith's shiny public image was shattered in 2018 when journalists Nick Mckenzie , Chris Masters and David Wroe started publishing articles about his alleged misconduct in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.
The newspapers claim Mr Roberts-Smith was involved in six murders of unarmed prisoners or civilians while deployed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012 - which he strenuously denies.
According to The newspapers, these included a handcuffed farmer The Soldier had kicked off a 10m Cliff - a fall which knocked out The Man 's teeth, before he was subsequently shot dead.
Another was a captured Afghan teenager so terrified A Witness recounted him " shaking like a leaf". He told The Court Mr Roberts-Smith later claimed to have shot him in The Head , boasting it was " The Most Beautiful Thing I've ever seen".
The Federal Court also heard that Mr Roberts-Smith had used a machine gun to kill a captured fighter whose prosthetic leg was then taken as a trophy, and later used by troops as a drinking vessel. Other murders were ordered by him to initiate or " blood" rookies, The papers claim.
The Geneva Convention - International rules intended to limit The savagery of War - prohibits The torture, killing or cruel treatment of prisoners, while also offering protections to wounded and sick soldiers.
" Not a single one of The Murders we allege… involved decisions that were made in The Heat of battle… The 'fog of War ,'" Said Nicholas Owens, a barrister for The newspapers.
But Mr Roberts-Smith says he has always honoured The Rules of engagement. He argues five of The killings occurred legally during combat, and a sixth didn't happen at all.
The former Sas corporal's legal team argues The Most serious allegations Mr Roberts-Smith faces were made up by jealous Colleagues - " liars" and " gossips" - to smear him.
" What he did not expect was that having been awarded The Victoria Cross , he would have a target on his back, " his barrister Arthur Moses told The Court .
The journalists had " jumped on The rumours like salmon jumping on a hook" publishing them as fact, his team Said , arguing that The Trial Evidence - Once weighed - would exposed them as inconsistent, " fanciful" and " salacious".
To support their claims, The newspapers called witnesses including Afghan villagers, a federal minister, and many former or serving elite soldiers.
They ended up unearthing even more damaging allegations. One of Mr Roberts-Smith's Close Friends - who gave Evidence anonymously - Said there were another three alleged murders in Afghanistan that Mr Roberts-Smith was accused of being involved in, in addition to those outlined in The newspapers' case.
Much Evidence was also devoted to claims Mr Roberts-Smith bullied peers. The War hero conceded he had punched a fellow soldier in The Face in front of their entire patrol, but denied threatening another with " a bullet in The back of The Head " if his performance didn't lift.
But Mr Roberts-Smith's versions of events were at other times corroborated by witnesses, along with official field reports, though The newspapers allege these were falsified to Cover Up crimes.
Astonishing Evidence on other issues also emerged during The defamation case, including:
Mr Roberts-Smith also watched on as his ex-wife Emma described The Moment A Woman with whom he'd had an extra-marital affair turned up at The Family home, unannounced and nursing a Black Eye , saying she had become pregnant with his baby.
The Woman - whose identity is Protected - cried on The Witness stand as she recounted The evening when she alleges Mr Roberts-Smith punched her in a hotel room, after she had embarrassed him at an event. He denies this and claims her injury was caused by a fall at The Event .
Mr Roberts-Smith has not been charged over any of The allegations and no findings have been made against him in a Criminal Court .
'Code Of Silence 'But The Evidence also put a spotlight on The usually hidden world of The Sas .
In November 2020, a landmark report found credible Evidence that Australian forces had unlawfully killed 39 civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013.
The Head of The Australian Defence Force Said it Laid Bare an unchecked " warrior culture" among some soldiers - particularly within The Sas - who had allegedly taken " The Law into their own hands".
The Trial heard from retired and serving Sas soldiers Who Said any potential misconduct was rarely reported due to a " code Of Silence " within The Regiment , while others defended their actions as necessary.
Many giving Evidence were there unwillingly, having been subpoenaed, and three refused to speak about some allegations fearing self-incrimination.
One Soldier , who testified that he witnessed Mr Roberts-Smith execute someone, Said he resented being compelled to give Evidence against him.
" I still don't agree with The fact [Mr Roberts-Smith] is here, under extreme duress, for killing Bad Dudes we went Over There to kill, " He Said .
Almost three years after The Landmark Brereton Report, local media have reported More Than 40 soldiers are being investigated for their roles in alleged War Crimes , but charges have only been laid against one.
And so The Judgement in Mr Roberts-Smith's defamation trial is a huge moment for Australia - both legally and culturally - says Peter Stanley , The former principal historian at The Australian War Memorial .
Soldiers serving under Australia 's banner have almost certainly committed War Crimes before, he says, but up until this year none had ever been charged.
And while The broader population may not always agree with The Wars Australia has fought, there has long been " great pride in The Way in which [it] has fought - this is what's known as The Anzac legend".
" The Ben Roberts-Smith episode is just a precursor to The Major series of War Crimes investigations, allegations, prosecutions, and possibly convictions that we'll see over The Next few years, " he told The Bbc .
" It certainly made [him] The litmus test. "
What happens nowThe Judge - Anthony Besanko - will first decide if The articles are defamatory, and if so, he'll then consider any defences.
In Australia defamation is a civil matter, meaning The Burden of proof is lower than The " beyond a reasonable doubt" standard required during criminal cases. The newspapers only have to prove The allegations are more likely to be true than not.
They argue that proving even one of The six murders alleged, to that standard, could be enough to win The case.
But The Law says Judge Besanko must take particular care in weighing The strengths and weaknesses of The Evidence if there are Grave Consequences for those involved.
The Criminal allegations being made by The media outlets fell " at The very highest end of objective seriousness… [and] strike at The very heart of Mr Roberts-Smith's morality and humanity, " Mr Moses Said in closing.
The stakes are also high for The newspapers, with experts saying a loss could result in The highest defamation payout in Australian history.
" We need to remind ourselves that The legal case is not a War Crimes trial, " Mr Stanley says.
" [But] there's a lot riding on this Outcome - it's not just The Reputation of One Man , it's our faith in The defence force… and our faith in The System of media that we rely on to give us a truthful and accurate version of The World . "
Related TopicsSource of news: bbc.com
Victoria Cross Photos
