|
James Scully (GC)
James Patrick Scully, GC (20 October 1909 – 28 December 1974) was an Irishman who served in the Royal Pioneer Corps of the British Army during World War II and was awarded the George Cross, the United Kingdom's highest award for civilian gallantry and for military gallantry outside combat. He is the only member of the Corps to have won that distinction. Early life He was born in Crumlin, Dublin, Crumlin, a suburb of Dublin, to Thomas and Bridget Scully (). He had two brothers and five sisters. After a basic education in Dublin, he moved to London in 1925 at the age of 16 to seek work, and gained employment as a labourer. Pioneer Corps In January 1941, he volunteered for the British Army, and was assigned to 256 Company, Royal Pioneer Corps, which was deployed to Birkenhead, Merseyside. On the night of 13–14 March 1941, that town was subjected to heavy bombing by the Luftwaffe (a part of what was to become known as the Liverpool Blitz). It was then he performed the deed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Cross
The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest military gallantry award. It is awarded "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger", not in the presence of the enemy, to members of the British armed forces and to British civilians. Posthumous awards have been allowed since it was instituted. It was previously awarded to residents of Commonwealth countries (and in one case to Malta, a colony that subsequently became a Commonwealth country), most of which have since established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians including police, emergency services and merchant seamen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
