Jack Bamford

John Bamford GC (born 7 March 1937 in Newthorpe, near Eastwood, Nottinghamshire), known as Jack Bamford, is the youngest person to have been directly awarded the George Cross. On 19 October 1952, aged 15, he rescued two boys from a house fire in Newthorpe. He took four months to recover from the injuries he sustained. He was awarded the Cross in December 1952.

However, because in 1971 the Albert Medal and Edward Medal became eligible for exchange for a GC, he lost this record to David Western, who had won the Albert Medal in 1948.