Welcome to our new venture which will introduce visitors to our very first 12 page Medal Trail booklet, which is also being produced in paper form for distribution and copies will be available in the Sun Room for all to view. Below is a slideshow of the 12 pages.
The Front Page of our new Medal Trail Booklet features the Victoria Cross, the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove logo with a lovely background of the River Tame close to the Grove. This background image is used throughout the Booklet.
Page 2 ~ Introduction
Page 3 ~ The Victoria Cross (VC)
Page 3 Image Content ~ The Victoria Cross
- Awarded to Capt. Foote, Lt. Col. Merritt, Capt. Porteous and PO Tommy Gould.
- The White Ensign Lodge Memorial includes Lt. Peter Robert’s VC.
- The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the British decorations system. It is awarded for valour “in the presence of the enemy” to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously.
Page 4 ~ The George Cross (GC)
Page 4 Image Content ~ The George Cross (GC)
- Awarded to Noor Inyat Khan, Vera Leigh and Violette Szabo.
- Is the highest British award for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the GC, since its introduction in 1940, has been equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest award for valour.
Page 5 ~The Military Cross (MC)
Page 5 Image Content ~ The Military Cross (MC)
- Awarded to Lt. Col. Airey Neave and Captain Peter Baker
- Awarded for an act of extreme gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land, to captains or officers of lower rank up to warrant officers. (NCOs of other ranks instead received the Military Medal).
Page 6 ~The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Page 6 Image Content ~ The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
- Awarded to Flying Officer Bill Franklin
- This memorial includes the names of all the crew who were lost.
- Herbert Wynne, Raymond Rolfe, James Insole, Thomas Challoner, Eric Foster, Thomas Colwell and a un-named Special Intelligence Agent.
- Is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and since 1993 to other ranks of the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries for an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy.
Page 7 ~ The Military Medal (MM)
Page 7 Image Content ~ The Military Medal (MM)
- Awarded to TSM Henry Bennett
- Was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land.
Page 8 ~ The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
Page 8 Image Content ~ The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
- Awarded to Captain Romuald Nalecz-Tyminski
- Is a third-level military decoration awarded for gallantry during active operations against the enemy at sea to officers; and, since 1993, ratings and other ranks of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the British Merchant Navy have been eligible.
Page 9 of the Medal Trail Booklet ~The Distinguished Service Order
Page 9 Image Content ~ The Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
- Awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Peniakoff
- Is a military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful command and leadership during active operations, typically in actual combat.
Page 10 ~The Kings Award for Courage in the Cause of Freedom
Page 10 Image Content ~ The Kings Award for Courage in the Cause of Freedom
- Awarded to Rene Lequeux, Rose Colmont and Roger Souchal and many others who helped the SAS during “Operation Loyton 1944”
- Is a British Medal instituted on 23 August 1945 to reward those, mainly foreigners, who during the Second World War with the danger of life had contributed to helping British military personnel to escape the enemy and escape from occupied areas or for other dangerous work for the British or Allied Cause during the war.
Page 11
Page 12 ~ The Croix de Guerre (France)
The “Croix de Guerre”
Page Updated 12th January 2026
alliedspecialforcesmemorialgrove.org 
