George Cross

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Education and Science – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 12 November 1964.

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Photo of Brigadier Sir John Smyth Brigadier Sir John Smyth , Lambeth Norwood 12:00, 12 November 1964

The Prime Minister says that it would not be appropriate to extend this to civil life, but does he realise that most of these very high awards were given for service during the war? The only difference between the two decorations is this. They are given for equal degrees of gallantry, but one is given for gallantry in battle and the other is given for gallantry not in face of the enemy, as in the resistance movement, prisoner-of-war camps and many other spheres. I think that the Prime Minister is very mistaken in his appreciation of the whole situation.