Borella presented the Victoria Cross

1918, Sandringham House, Norfolk ENGLAND

Albert Borella was awarded the Victoria Cross, by King George V at Sandringham Palace, on 16 September 1918; his age 36 making him the oldest recipient within the first AIF . Borella’s VC was the only one awarded to a soldier from the Northern Territory during World War I.

The Victoria Cross is the highest award for acts of bravery in wartime. The award was created by Queen Victoria in 1856 and made retrospective to 1854 to cover the period of the Crimean War. The Victoria Cross bears the inscription “For Valour” and is cast from the metal of guns captured during the Crimean War 1854-56. After melting the bronze metal from the cannons, the rough cast Crosses are then individually hand finished. The bar, decorated with laurel leaves and bearing a ‘V’ from which the cross hangs, is cast separately. Recipients of the Victoria Cross displayed the most conspicuous courage, daring, valour, self-sacrifice or displays of extreme devotion to duty. Albert Borella VC MM was one of the 64 recipients in the Great War (including 9 at Gallipoli).