Royal Red Cross facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Royal Red Cross
Badge of the Royal Red Cross Badge of an Associate of the Royal Red Cross
Presented by	United Kingdom

The Royal Red Cross (RRC) is a special award given to people in the military who are amazing nurses. It is awarded in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries. This award celebrates nurses who have done truly outstanding work.

The Royal Red Cross was first created in 1883. The very first people to receive it were Florence Nightingale and Jane Cecilia Deeble. Jane Deeble had worked as a nurse during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. She noticed that the hard work of nurses was not officially recognized.

How the Award Started

Queen Victoria officially created the Royal Red Cross award on April 27, 1883. She announced it through a special Royal Proclamation. The award was meant for women who showed great effort in caring for sick and wounded soldiers and sailors. It was also for nursing sisters who showed special dedication and skill in their nursing duties. This included nurses working with the army in battle or in military and naval hospitals.

Queens and Princesses of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland were also allowed to wear the Royal Red Cross. At first, there was only one level of this award.

First People to Receive the Award

The first Royal Red Cross awards were given out in May 1883. Among the first recipients were Florence Nightingale and Jane Cecilia Deeble. Jane Deeble had served in Zululand. She had pointed out that nurses' work was not officially recognized. The award was created after her comment reached Sir Henry Ponsonby, a senior official for the Queen. He was told that "a word of recognition from the Queen … would make her and them [the nurses] happy and proud for the rest of their lives."

Twenty-two other nursing sisters also received the award at this time. Another recipient was Lady Loyd-Lindsay. She was the founder of the National Aid Society, which later became the British Red Cross Society.

Changes to the Award Over Time

A second, lower level of the award was added during the First World War. This new level was called "Associate." It was created in November 1915 by King George V.

The award is given to fully trained nurses from official nursing services, whether military or civilian. They must have shown amazing dedication and skill in their nursing duties for a long time. They might also receive it for an extraordinary act of bravery and devotion while on duty. The award is given to nurses no matter their rank.

How Promotions Work

If someone who holds the "Associate" level receives another award, they are promoted to the first class. However, a person can also receive the first class award right away. If someone who already has the first class award receives another one, they get a bar. This bar is worn on the ribbon of their medal.

For many years, only women could receive the Royal Red Cross. But in 1976, men also became eligible for the award. Starting in 1979, the award could also be given to people after they had passed away.

People who receive the Royal Red Cross can use special letters after their name. Those with the main award use "RRC." Those with the "Associate" award use "ARRC."

What the Award Looks Like

The Royal Red Cross has different designs for its two levels.

• The badge for the RRC (the main award) is a golden cross. It is about 3.5 centimeters wide. The front is covered in red enamel. In the middle, there is a round medallion with a picture of the reigning monarch. The words "Faith," "Hope," and "Charity" are written on the top parts of the cross. The year "1883" is on the bottom part. The back of the cross is plain, but it has a round medallion with the reigning monarch's royal cypher (their special symbol).

• The badge for the ARRC (the Associate award) is a silver cross. It is also about 3.5 centimeters wide. The front is covered in red enamel with wide silver edges. In the middle, there is a round medallion with a picture of the reigning monarch. The back has a round medallion with the royal cypher. The words "Faith," "Hope," and "Charity" are on the top three parts of the cross. The year "1883" is on the bottom part.

• The ribbon for both awards is dark blue with crimson (dark red) stripes on the edges. Women usually wear the decoration from the ribbon tied in a bow. However, both men and women can wear it on a straight ribbon with their other medals when in military uniform.

• If someone who has the RRC receives another award for exceptional nursing or bravery, they get a bar. This bar is linked to the cross and is made of red enamel. A small rosette is worn on the ribbon when not in full uniform to show that a bar has been awarded.

See also

In Spanish: Real Cruz Roja para niños

• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations