The making of Canada's Victoria Cross

Canada's Victoria Cross was officially approved in 1992. Here is how we created the medal in regulations and in metal.

Photo: Directorate of History and Heritage, Department of National Defence

Members of the Canadian Victoria Cross contingent to the 1956 Centenary celebrations of the award, including (from left to right): Alexander Brereton, David Currie, Raphael Zengel, Charles Train, Thomas Dinesen, Filip Konowal, John Kerr, George Mullin, Coulson Mitchell, George Pearkes, William Metcalf, Thain MacDowell, Milton Gregg, John Mahony, Richard Turner, Cecil Kinross, Frederick Harvey, and Cyrus Peck. 1

Lieutenant Gray's Victoria Cross was the last awarded to a Canadian during the Second World War. No crosses were awarded to Canadians during the war in Korea. In the years that followed, a sense of nationalism began to make its way into thinking about honours and awards for Canadian citizens. Attempts to create a purely Canadian system of honours turned from discussion and debate in the 1950s to a fledgling reality by the late 1960s, in concert with the celebration of the nation’s centennial.

The establishment of the Order of Canada in 1967 included the creation of the Medal of Courage as part of the Order. This quickly became the only bravery award available for both military and civilian acts of courage. But with no way of recognizing differing degrees of courage, the award was simply not sufficient. The Canadianization of the honours system had an effect on the ability of members of the military to earn an award for military gallantry since British military and civilian gallantry awards were no longer available to Canadians. In 1972, the situation was addressed on the civilian side through the introduction of the Canadian Bravery Decorations including the Cross of Valour, the Star of Courage and the Medal of Bravery. Heroic acts performed by members of the Canadian Forces were recognized through these medals. The Medal of Courage, which had never been awarded, was eliminated.

Eventually, a military gallantry awards system was designed to complement the civilian awards in the Canadian Honours System. Taking heed of calls from the public, veterans’ groups and members of Parliament, the proposed decorations ultimately incorporated the Victoria Cross, the Star of Military Valour and the Medal of Military Valour. The three awards, known collectively as the Military Valour Decorations, were accepted by the Canadian government and formally approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, in letters patent issued on 31 December 1992.

Canada’s Victoria Cross is only slightly different from the original award. The inscription borne on the British insignia, “FOR VALOUR”, is replaced by the Latin phrase “PRO VALORE”. The Victoria Cross retains the stringent award criteria established by the British version. In accordance with the 1993 regulations, the new decoration is to be “awarded for the most conspicuous bravery, a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty, in the presence of the enemy.” The definition of the “enemy” was expanded to reflect the new reality of warfare in the 1990s, the Department of National Defence noting it entailed “a hostile armed force, including armed mutineers, armed rebels, armed rioters and armed pirates.  Canada does not have to be at war to acknowledge the existence of an enemy which fits this description.  It is broad enough to encompass Canadian involvement in UN peacekeeping operations.”  Any member of the Canadian Forces or member of an allied armed force serving with the Canadian Forces on or after 1 January 1993 is eligible for the award and, like its British counterpart, the Victoria Cross can be awarded posthumously.

The Victoria Cross, to be suspended from a crimson ribbon, is “a bronze straight armed cross pattée, 38 mm across with raised edges: on the obverse [front], a lion guardant standing upon the Royal Crown, and below the Crown, a scroll bearing the inscription “PRO VALORE”; and on the reverse [back], the date of the act for which the decoration is bestowed is engraved in a raised circle. The Cross is suspended by means of a plain link from a V below a straight bar ornamented with laurel leaves, on the back of which is engraved the rank, name and unit of the recipient.” Subsequent awards to an individual are to be indicated “by a plain bronze bar ornamented with laurel leaves, which bar shall be attached to the centre of the ribbon from which the Cross is suspended.”

For more than a decade, the Victoria Cross existed only as artwork on paper, none of the actual decorations – or insignia, in the technical parlance – being produced.  The reason for this was quite simple. As the highest decoration for military gallantry in the Canadian Honours System, it took quite some time to decide how the concept of the Victoria Cross’s design and production would reflect its proper heritage. What would its composition be and how would it appear as a physical reality? Such a thorough consideration was required to ensure that the decoration’s symbolic significance could be respected in its final produced form.

A committee was set up under the leadership of The Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall. The Victoria Cross Production Planning Group was composed of representatives from the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada. Members of Natural Resources Canada, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Royal Canadian Mint subsequently joined the group during the course of its sessions.

The Victoria Cross Production Planning Group consulted many stakeholders, including active and veteran military personnel and organizations, metallurgists, historians and other specialists. Several discussions led to the formulation of a proposal which contained their recommendations.

Photo: Canadian Defence Liaison Staff (London), Department of National Defence

Specialist at the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA Donnington, United Kingdom) slices a piece of gunmetal used to manufacture the British Victoria Cross. 2

Photo: Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Chancellery of Honours

The “slice” of gunmetal, donated to Canada by the United Kingdom and the 1867 Confederation Medal that were used to create the “metal mixture” for the new Victoria Cross. 3

Firstly, the Victoria Cross should be made in Canada. Secondly, because of the significance of the Victoria Cross to Canadians, the decoration should reflect the past, the present and the future of the country. The planning group recommended that the decoration be made from a mixture of three types of metals: the specific gunmetal used in the production of British Victoria Crosses; metal from an historically significant Canadian source, specifically an unpresented Confederation Medal (minted in 1867 in celebration of the Confederation of Canada); and, finally, metals from all regions of Canada from coast to coast to coast “representing the abundant natural resources of our country”.

Original artwork held by the Canadian Heraldic Authority.

Artwork produced by Cathy Bursey-Sabourin providing details of the new insignia. 4

As a first step, a “slice” of the original gunmetal was graciously donated to Canada by the United Kingdom and the various metals were gathered. At the same time, scientists from Natural Resources Canada analyzed some Victoria Crosses in the Canadian War Museum’s collection to derive a precise “formula” for the metallurgical composition they were going to create.

Although the original painting for the Victoria Cross had been made in 1992, detailed artwork was still required in order for the casting design process to be undertaken. Fleurs-de-lis were added to the insignia’s scroll, alongside the traditional rose, thistle and shamrock, in keeping with the floral elements found within the Royal Arms of Canada.

In the past, the original British Victoria Cross insignia could not be struck, like most other decorations and coins, because the alloy used was too hard and brittle to make striking practical. To maintain this tradition, the Canadian Victoria Crosses were also cast. As the artwork was refined, the Royal Canadian Mint became involved in the production process which would transfer the 2D artwork to 3D engraved patterns, or “dies”. The two dies, inscribed or etched with “negative” or backwards images of the insignia—one the obverse, the other the reverse—were used to make wax reproductions which were then used to construct casting assemblages, or “trees”. A ceramic mixture was then poured around the assemblages and allowed to set. After the ceramic hardened, it was heated to allow the wax to melt and be poured away, thus leaving “positive” thin, hollow moulds of the Victoria Cross insignia within the ceramic blocks.

Photo: David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada

Example of wax “positive” impression of the Victoria Cross alongside the engraved pattern with “negative” or backwards image of the insignia. 5

Photo: David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada

Each wax impression is checked carefully for defects and dimensional accuracy before continuing the process. 6

Photo: Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Chancellery of Honours

Specialists from Natural Resources Canada pour molten metal into moulds to create ingots of the Canadian insignia mixture. 7

Photo: David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada

Upon completion of the production runs, all trimmings and other surplus alloy is returned to the furnace and re-melted. The final ingots produced bear the identifying inscription “Victoria Cross—Croix de Victoria—Canada”. 8

Photo: David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada

The second stage of casting when the alloy was poured into the moulds to create the Victoria Cross insignia. 9

Photo: Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Chancellery of Honours

The casting tree after demoulding with four Victoria Crosses still attached. 10

In December 2006, after months of planning and preparation, the first stage in the casting process began at the Materials Technology Laboratory of Natural Resources Canada. The goal was to produce ingots or bars of the desired alloy. The piece of gunmetal from the original Victoria Cross source, the Confederation Medal and the various Canadian metals were melted in an induction furnace. The mixture was then carried in a crucible (a heat-resistant container used to melt metals and other materials) and was slowly poured into moulds shaped somewhat like loaf pans. Wood shavings were placed on top of each pan to help prevent oxidization. Seven ingots of the alloy were produced to ensure that a sufficient quantity of the “metal mixture” would be available for future generations.

Later, the second stage in the casting of the insignia took place. Some of the ingots were melted, and the molten metal was then poured into the ceramic moulds. Once cooled, the ceramic was broken away to reveal four unfinished Victoria Cross insignia from each block attached to a central stem.

Photo: David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada

The first Victoria Cross produced in Canada. 11

The cast insignia, rough and yellow in colour, were transferred to the Royal Canadian Mint. Each incomplete insignia needed to be finished by hand and treated to provide the dark patina of a finished Victoria Cross, thus transforming it into an award worthy of presentation.

With the finishing completed and the pieces polished, all that remained was for each insignia to be mounted on the crimson ribbon and for them to be placed in leather presentation boxes – each bearing the inscription “V.C.” over “Canada” in gold letters on the cover.

The first two specimens of the Victoria Cross were sent to the United Kingdom in late January 2007 to become part of The Queen’s Royal Collection. In the letter attached to the gift the Deputy Secretary of the Chancellery wrote:

I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to Her Majesty, as well as to senior members of the Ministry of Defence who provided most gracious and professional assistance throughout the production of the Canadian Victoria Cross. Canadians rightfully attach a great deal of importance to this honour. In granting a percentage of the bronze derived from the original gun metal, Her Majesty has helped to create a symbolic link from the past, bridging the present and into the future.

The twenty Victoria Crosses and extra ingots of the Canadian mixture are safely kept at Rideau Hall while other specimens will be added to the collections of Rideau Hall, the Department of National Defence, Library and Archives Canada and the Canadian War Museum.

The Victoria Cross was unveiled by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, at Rideau Hall in Ottawa in May 2008.


Photo credits

  • 1 Directorate of History and Heritage, Department of National Defence
  • 2 Canadian Defence Liaison Staff (London), Department of National Defence
  • 3 Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Chancellery of Honours
  • 4 Original artwork held by the Canadian Heraldic Authority
  • 5 David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada
  • 6 David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada
  • 7 Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Chancellery of Honours
  • 8 David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada
  • 9 David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada
  • 10 Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Chancellery of Honours
  • 11 David Ashe, Natural Resources Canada

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