It is now more than 70 years since a Victoria Cross was last awarded to an aviator. However, the 51 recipients are far from forgotten and their legacy lives on
The 51 brave aviators who have been awarded the Victoria Cross represent less than 4% of the total 1,358 medals presented since 1857.
Although Commonwealth airmen have been involved in various wars and conflicts over the past 70 years the changing style of aerial warfare has meant that no VCs have been awarded to flyers since Robert Hampton-Gray in August 1945 (see page 110).
In fact, the changing face of warfare in general has meant that just 15 VCs have been awarded in total since the end of World War Two; these being four presented in the Korean War, a single one in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation in 1965, four to Australians in the Vietnam War, two during the Falklands War in 1982, one in the Iraq War in 2004, and three in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012.
Medals For Sale
