Elizabeth Cross
| Elizabeth Cross | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Awarded by the United Kingdom | |
| Type | Commemorative emblem |
| Eligibility | Member of the British Armed Forces killed in action or died of wounds caused by military actions |
| Awarded for | Granted to the next of kin of servicemen and women who died during operations or were killed as the result of terrorist action since the Second World War |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Description | Cross made of hallmarked silver carrying the rose of England, the Scottish thistle, the Irish shamrock, and the Welsh daffodil. The centre bears the crowned cypher of Queen Elizabeth II. The cross is backed by a representation of a laurel wreath. |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1 July 2009 |
| First awarded | 18 August 2009 |
| Posthumous awards |
All awards are posthumous |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | N/A |
| Equivalent | N/A |
| Next (lower) | N/A |
The Elizabeth Cross is a commemorative emblem given to the recognised next of kin of members of the British Armed Forces killed in action or as a result of a terrorist attack after the Second World War. It bears the name of the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
Designed by Dayna White of Birmingham jewellers Gladman & Norman Ltd, the award is made of sterling silver in the shape of a cross backed by a representation of a laurel wreath, and carries floral emblems of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, an appearance similar to the earlier Canadian Memorial Cross. The trial crosses, and the first few to be issued, were made by Gladman & Norman; the company was awarded the long-term production contract in October 2009.
Families receive a large version of the cross, and a pin-on miniature, together with a Memorial Scroll signed by The Queen which bears the name of the person who died.
The scroll bears the words:
This scroll commemorates [name] who gave his/her life for Queen and country on the [date] day of [month] [year]
The words were chosen by the previous Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, and approved by the Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup and the three service chiefs.
The award was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on 1 July 2009, but eligibility is retrospective to deaths from the end of the Second World War. Previously, for those who died in the First World War relatives were presented with a memorial scroll and bronze plaque, and for Second World War and Korean War deaths, relatives received a scroll. The creation of the award was announced in a written statement to the House of Commons by Secretary of State for Defence Bob Ainsworth on 1 July, and also in a broadcast on the British Forces Broadcasting Service made by the Queen. The idea for a new award was first approved on 10 June 2008, and it was expected that the details would be confirmed later that year.
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