List of Fleet Air Arm Honours and Awards 1939-1945
Air Force Cross
(AFC)
awarded to FAA Personnel
  

 
 
Air Force Cross The cross is awarded to an officer or a Warrant Officer for an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, but not while in active operations against an enemy.

BAR

A bar is awarded for an additional act which would have warranted the AFC. The straight slip-on silver bar has an eagle in the centre. The year of the award is engraved on the reverse.

DESCRIPTION

A silver cross (1.625" across), shaped as a thunderbolt in the form of a cross, the arm terminates with a bomb. The cross is surmounted by another cross composed of aeroplane propeller blades, with the ends of the four blades enscribed with the Royal Cypher. For the WWII DFCs the letters G (top), R (left), VI (bottom), and I (right) and for the Korea DFCs E (top), II (left), R (right), and the bottom blank. The top arm is ensigned by an Imperial Crown. 

OBVERSE

In the centre of the obverse is a roundel displaying Hermes, mounted on a hawk in flight, bestowing a wreath.

REVERSE

Within a central circle, the current Royal Cypher (GV, GVI, EIIR) above the date 1918. The year of award appears on the lower arm. 

MOUNTING

A small link at the top of the crown attaches to a slot in two sprigs of laurel firming the underside of a straight clasp.

RIBBON

The ribbon is 1.25 inches wide, and consists of alternating red and white stripes (0.125 wide) leaning to the left at 45 degrees from the vertical. The red colour is to appear in the bottom left and upper right corners when viewed on the wearer's chest. Until 1919, the stripes were horizontal. 

NAMING

The medals are issued unnamed.

DATES

The award was established on 03 June 1918, the birthday of King George V. 

List of Fleet Air Arm CO recipients of the AFC.

For information on Fleet Air Arm campaign medal rolls and individual awards contact the relevant Armed Services Medal Offices. 

  • Navy: Ministry of Defence, NPP Acs 3 (b) 4, HMS Centurion, Grange Road, Gosport, Hampshire PO13 9XA, UK
  • Royal Air Force: Ministry of Defence, CS Sec 1d, Room F93, Building 256, HQ RAF PTC, RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire GL3 1EZ, UK
  • Royal Marines: Ministry of Defence, Drafting and Record Office, Royal Marines, HMS Centurion; Grange Road, Gosport, Hampshire PO13 9XA, UK 
  • Merchant Navy: Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton SO15 1EG. 
Royal Navy Ministry of Defence Website Royal Navy: Sources of Information. Online information: How to obtain Royal Navy Service Records & Medals
 
 

Last Modified: 5 April 2001
 

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