![Bar to the Air Force Cross](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Bar_to_the_Air_Force_Cross.png)
The Air Force Cross (AFC) is a military decoration awarded to officers, and since 1993 other ranks, of the
British Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other
Commonwealth countries. It is granted for "an act or acts of exemplary gallantry while flying, though not in active operations against the enemy". A
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
is added to the ribbon for holders who are awarded a further AFC.
History
The award was established on 3 June 1918, shortly after the formation of the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF). It was originally awarded to RAF
commissioned officers and
Warrant Officer
Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mos ...
s, but was later expanded to include Royal Navy and army aviation officers.
[
While consistently awarded for service while "flying though not in active operations against the enemy", the AFC was originally awarded for "valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying" with many awards made for meritorious service over a period of time, rather than a specific act of bravery. These awards were discontinued in 1993,][ when the criteria were narrowed to "exemplary gallantry while flying".
A ]bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
is added to the ribbon of holders of the AFC for each further award, with a silver rosette worn on the ribbon when worn alone to denote the award of each bar.[.]
Recipients of the Air Force Cross are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "AFC".
Between 1919 and 1932 the AFC was also awarded to civilians, on the same basis as for RAF personnel. In March 1941 eligibility was extended to Naval Officers of the Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
, and in November 1942 to Army officers,[ with posthumous awards permitted from 1979.
Since the 1993 review of the honours system as part of the drive to remove distinctions of rank in bravery awards, all ranks of all arms of the Armed Forces have been eligible, and the ]Air Force Medal
The Air Force Medal (AFM) was a military decoration, awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and other British Armed Forces, and formerly to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour, ...
, which had until then been awarded to other ranks, was discontinued.
The AFC had also been awarded by Commonwealth countries but by the 1990s most, including Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, had established their own honours systems and no longer recommended British honours.
Description
* The medal is a silver cross, in height and wide, representing aircraft propeller blades, with wings between the arms. It was design by Edward Carter Preston
Edward Carter Preston (7 July 1885 – 2 March 1965) was an English artist, renowned as a sculptor and medallist.
Biography
Preston was born, and died, in Liverpool. He designed the bronze memorial plaques presented to the families of British ...
.[
* The obverse depicts ]Hermes
Hermes (; grc-gre, wikt:Ἑρμῆς, Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods. He is also considered the protector of human heralds, travelle ...
, riding on the wings of a hawk holding a laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a round wreath made of connected branches and leaves of the bay laurel (), an aromatic broadleaf evergreen, or later from spineless butcher's broom (''Ruscus hypoglossum'') or cherry laurel (''Prunus laurocerasus''). It is a s ...
. At the top of the upper arm is the royal crown, while the other three arms bear the royal cypher of the reigning monarch at the time of issue.
* The reverse is plain, except for a central roundel bearing the reigning monarch's cypher and the date '1918'. Originally awarded unnamed, from 1939 the year of issue was engraved on the reverse lower limb of cross,[ and since 1984 it has been awarded named to the recipient.][
* The suspender is straight and decorated with laurel wreaths.]
* The ribbon bar denoting a further award is silver, with the Royal Air Force eagle in its centre. Bars awarded during World War II have the year of award engraved on the reverse.[
* The 32 mm (1.25 inch) ribbon was originally white with red broad horizontal stripes, but changed in July 1919 to the current white with red broad diagonal stripes at a 45-degree angle.]
Recipients
Numbers awarded
From 1918 to 2017 approximately 5,360 Air Force Crosses and 193 bars have been awarded. The figures to 1979 are laid out in the table below, the dates reflecting the relevant entries in the London Gazette:
In addition, between 1980 and 2017 approximately 279 AFCs and eight second-award bars have been awarded.
The above figures include awards to the Dominions:
In all, 560 AFCs have gone to Canadians, including those serving in the RAF, including 70 for World War I, 462 and one bar for World War II and 28 post–war awards.
A total of 444 AFCs and two bars have been awarded to Australians, the last award made in 1983.
A number of awards were made to New Zealanders until the AFC was replaced by the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration
The New Zealand Gallantry Decoration (NZGD) is the third level military decoration of the New Zealand armed forces.
It was instituted by Royal Warrant on 20 September 1999 as part of the new indigenous New Zealand Gallantry system. The medal, wh ...
in 1999.
A total of 87 honorary awards have been made to members of allied foreign forces, including 26 for World War I, 58 for World War II and three post-war, the latter all to members of the US Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sig ...
.[
]
Notable awards
* George Bulman (1896–1963); awarded the AFC three times for services as a test pilot
A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...
.
* Geoffrey Dhenin
Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Howard Dhenin, (2 April 1918 – 6 May 2011) was a British physician and senior Royal Air Force officer. From 1974 to 1978, he served as Director General of the RAF Medical Services.
Early life and education
Dhenin wa ...
(1918–2008); awarded the AFC twice for his role in the British nuclear weapons tests in Australia (1954 and 1959).
*Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Air Force (MRAF) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force (RAF). In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff (CAS), who were ...
Andrew Humphrey (1921–1977); awarded the AFC three times,
* Willie Read (1885–1972); awarded the AFC three times.
* H. P. Ruffell Smith (1911–1980); awarded the AFC three times.
* Peter Thorne (1923–2014); awarded the AFC three times (1947, 1951, and 1956).
See also
* British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
This article concerns the orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms awarded by the sovereign in right of each nation.
Awards are listed by order of wear.
Antigua and Barbuda
* Order of the National Hero
* Order of the Nation
* Order of Me ...
References
External links
Page including text from the ''London Gazette'' dated 5 December 1919, establishing DFC, AFC, DFM and AFM
Current Royal Warrant for the AFC. ''London Gazette'', 17 September 2002
{{South African military decorations and medals
Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom
Courage awards