Saint George                                                           

St George is the patron saint of England and among the most famous of Christian figures.

The banner of St George, the red cross of a martyr on a white background, was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers possibly in the reign of Richard I, and later became the flag of England and the White Ensign of the Royal Navy.

When Richard II invaded Scotland in 1385, every man was ordered to wear ’a signe (sic) of the arms of St George’, both before and behind, whilst death was threatened against any of the enemy’s soldiers ’who do bear the same cross or token of Saint George, even if they be prisoners’.

In 1940, when the civilian population of Britain was subjected to mass bombing by the German Luftwaffe, King George VI instituted the George Cross for ’acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger’. The award, which is second only to the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration, is usually given to civilians and can be given posthumously. The award consists of a silver cross. On one side is depicted St George slaying the dragon, with the inscription, ’For Gallantry’; on the other appear the name of the holder and the date of the award.

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