The ''Croix de guerre 1914–1918'' ( en, War Cross) is a French

military decoration Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a meda ...

, the first version of the ''

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

''. It was created to recognize French and allied soldiers who were cited for valorous service during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, similar to the British ''

mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

'' but with multiple degrees equivalent to other nations' decorations for courage. Soon after the outbreak of

, French military officials felt that a new military award had to be created. At that time, the ''Citation du jour'' ("Daily Citation") already existed to acknowledge soldiers, but it was just a sheet of paper. Only the Médaille Militaire and

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleo ...

were bestowed for courage in the field, due to the numbers now involved, a new decoration was required in earnest. At the end of 1914, General Boëlle, Commandant in Chief of the French 4th Army Corps, tried to convince the French administration to create a formal military award. Maurice Barrès, the noted writer and parliamentarian for Paris, gave Boëlle support in his efforts. On 23 December 1914, the French parliamentarian Georges Bonnefous proposed a legislative bill to create the ''Croix de la Valeur Militaire'' ("Cross of Military Valour") signed by 66 other parliamentarians.

Émile Driant Émile Augustin Cyprien Driant (11 September 1855 – 22 February 1916) was a French writer, politician, and army officer. He was the first high-ranking casualty of the Battle of Verdun during World War I. Biography Born at Neufchâtel-sur-Ais ...

, a parliamentarian who served in the war zone during much of this time, became its natural spokesman when he returned to the legislature. On 18 January 1915, Driant submitted this bill but the name of the military award was renamed to ''Croix de guerre'' ("War Cross"). After parliamentary discussions, the bill was adopted on 2 April 1915. World War I began in 1914 and ended in 1918, so the final name adopted is "''Croix de guerre'' 1914–1918".

Award statute

Every ''Croix de guerre'' awarded carries at least one citation for gallantry or courage to a member of any rank of the French military or of an allied army. Ribbon devices indicate the importance or degree of the soldier's role during the action cited. The lowest degree is represented by a

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids suc ...

star and the highest degree is represented by a bronze palm. The cross is only awarded once and subsequent actions worthy of citations will be limited to additional ribbon devices on the originally received insignia. The number of ribbon devices on a ''Croix de guerre'' is not limited, some awards, especially to ace fighter pilots, had extremely long ribbons with dozens of stars and palms. The Croix de guerre 1914-1918 was attributed to: *French and allied soldiers individually cited for a wartime act of gallantry; *Civilians and militarized personnel individually cited for a wartime act of gallantry; *Automatically to soldiers and civilians not specifically cited for a Croix de guerre but awarded the Légion d'honneur or Médaille militaire for the highest acts of wartime valour and gazetted in the Official Journal of the French Republic; *Collectively, to army units, ships or air squadrons; *To cities and villages, martyrs of war, destroyed, ravaged or bombed by the enemy (2952 towns received the Croix de guerre 1914–1918, in this case, always awarded with palm). Soldiers who were/are members of units recognized by a collective unit award of the Croix de guerre may wear the Fourragère of the Croix de guerre 1914-1918 as long as they remain members of that unit. Soldiers who actively took part as members of units during repeated feats of arms recognized by more than one collective award of the Croix de guerre may continue to wear the fourragère even after leaving the meritorious unit. Battle streamers in the colours of the Croix de guerre 1914-1918 are affixed to the colours of recipient units.

Award description

The cross was designed by the sculptor Paul-Albert Bartholomé. It is 37 mm wide, Florentine bronze cross pattée, with two crossed swords pointing up between the arms. The obverse centre medallion bears the relief image of the

French Republic France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

in the form of the bust of a young woman wearing a Phrygian cap surrounded by the circular relief inscription ''RÉPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE'' (FRENCH REPUBLIC). Not knowing how long the war would last, the reverse centre medallion bears the dates 1914–1915, 1914–1916, 1914–1917 and finally 1914–1918. The cross is suspended by a ring through a suspension loop cast atop the upper cross arm. It hangs from a 37 mm wide green silk moiré ribbon with seven narrow 1,5 mm wide vertical red stripes evenly spaced and two 1 mm red edge stripes. Croix de Guerre 1914 revers X 4

The lowest degree is represented by a bronze star and the highest degree is represented by a silver palm. The cross was worn with the appropriate attachments to signify the singular or multiple awards of the decoration. * Bronze star (étoile de bronze): for those who were mentioned at the

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. ...

level.. * Silver star (étoile d'argent): for those who were cited at the division level. * Silver gilt star (étoile vermeil): for those who were cited at the

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...

level. * Bronze palm (palme de bronze): for those who were cited at the army level. * Silver palm (palme d'argent): could be worn in lieu of five bronze palms. File:CroixdeGuerreFR-BronzeStar.png, Étoile de bronze File:CroixdeGuerreFR-SilverStar.png, Étoile d'argent File:CroixdeGuerreFR-VermeilStar.png, Étoile de vermeil File:CroixdeGuerreFR-BronzePalm.png, Palme de bronze File:CroixdeGuerreFR-SilverPalm.png, Palme d'argent

Notable French recipients (partial list)

Douglas MacArthur, Army photo portrait seated, France 1918

*General

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Governm ...

(1 citation) *Fighter ace lieutenant Charles Nungesser (30 citations) *Fighter ace captain Georges Guynemer (26 citations) *General Edgard de Larminat (4 citations) *General Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert (7 citations) *Colonel Théophile Marie Brébant (4 citations) *General Jean Vallette d'Osia (6 citations) *General Raoul Salan (1 citation) *Fighter ace colonel

René Fonck Colonel René Paul Fonck (27 March 1894 – 18 June 1953) was a French aviator who ended the First World War as the top Entente fighter ace and, when all succeeding aerial conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries are also considered, Fonc ...

(29 citations) *General Marie-Pierre Kœnig (2 citations) *General Raoul Magrin-Vernerey (11 citations) *Fighter ace lieutenant-colonel

Charles Nuville Lieutenant Colonel Charles Marie Joseph Leon Nuville Legion d'Honneur, LH (March 1889—18 January 1965) was a French World War I flying ace credited with twelve confirmed aerial victories. He served as a professional soldier throughout the in ...

(10 citations) *Fighter ace captain Georges Madon (10 citations) *Marshal Joseph Joffre (1 citation) *General

Robert Nivelle Robert Georges Nivelle (15 October 1856 – 22 March 1924) was a French artillery general officer who served in the Boxer Rebellion and the First World War. In May 1916, he succeeded Philippe Pétain as commander of the French Second Army in t ...

(3 citations)

Notable foreign recipients (partial list)

*Corporal Eugene Bullard,

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Ar ...

*Major General

Charles Budworth Major General Charles Edward Dutton Budworth, (3 October 1869 – 15 July 1921) was a British soldier who served as an artillery officer during the Second Boer War and the First World War. Early life and family Budworth was the son of Phil ...

*General

George S. Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...

*General

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was ...

*General George C. Marshall *Lieutenant General

Lewis H. Brereton Lewis Hyde Brereton (June 21, 1890 – July 20, 1967) was a military aviation pioneer and lieutenant general in the United States Air Force. A 1911 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he began his military career as a United States Army o ...

*Brigadier General

Edward Terence Donnelly Edward Terence Donnelly (August 22, 1871 – February 8, 1929) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Biography Donnelly was born in London on August 22, 1871, the son of Edward C. Donnelly who was from New Yo ...

*Brigadier General

Lucius Loyd Durfee Brigadier General Lucius Loyd Durfee (March 3, 1861 – March 19, 1933) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Early life and education Durfee was born on March 3, 1861, in Chardon, Ohio. After attending sc ...

*Fighter ace Air Marshal William Avery "Billy" Bishop V.C. *Field Marshal

Petar Bojović Petar Bojović (, ; 16 July 1858 – 19 January 1945) was a Serbian military commander who fought in the Serbo-Turkish War, the Serbo-Bulgarian War, the First Balkan War, the Second Balkan War, World War I and World War II. Following the ...

*Fighter ace Air Vice Marshal Raymond Collishaw *Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Rodney Park *General Sir Arthur William Currie *Fighter ace captain Robert A. Little *Corporal Harry Miner V.C. *Captain Eddie Rickenbacker *Private

Needham Roberts Needham Roberts (April 28, 1901 – April 18, 1949) was an American soldier in the Harlem Hellfighters and recipient of the Purple Heart and the Croix de Guerre for his valor during World War I. Early life Roberts was born in Trenton, New Jersey ...

*General Sir Archibald Paris *Philanthropist

Julia Hunt Catlin Park DePew Taufflieb Julia Hunt Catlin Park DePew Taufflieb (July 6, 1864 – December 17, 1947) was a philanthropist and socialite who was the first American woman to be awarded the Croix de Guerre and Legion d'honneur by France in 1917 for turning her Château d'A ...

*Private

Herman Davis Herman Davis (January 3, 1888 – January 5, 1923) was a decorated American sniper of World War I. He was a United States Infantry Private Company I, 113th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division. Born in Manila, Arkansas, Davis was drafted into t ...

*Field Marshal

John French, 1st Earl of Ypres Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, (28 September 1852 – 22 May 1925), known as Sir John French from 1901 to 1916, and as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a senior British Army officer. Born in Kent t ...

*Field Marshal

Živojin Mišić Field Marshal Živojin Mišić ( sr-cyrl, Живојин Мишић; 19 July 1855 in Struganik – 20 January 1921 in Belgrade) was a Field Marshal who participated in all of Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918. He directly commanded the First Se ...

*Fighter ace major James McCudden *Fighter ace major

Roderic Dallas Roderic Stanley (Stan) Dallas, (30 July 1891 – 1 June 1918) was an Australian fighter ace of World War I. His score of aerial victories is generally regarded as the second-highest by an Australian, after Robert Little, bu ...

*Sergeant John Ranner 282nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery *Sergeant

Alvin C. York Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machin ...

*Sergeant George Lawson Keene *Brigadier General Evan M. Johnson *Sergeant Henry Johnson *Director General Stephen Galatti, American Field Service *Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson, Lafayette Escadrille *Lieutenant Giuseppe Franchi Maggi, Royal Italian Army *Carrier Pigeon Cher Ami, Lost Battalion (World War I) *Lt William F. Howe, 2nd Battle of Marne - w Gold Star *Lt Quentin Roosevelt *Fighter ace Captain Vernon Castle *Sergeant First Class Wilson H Williams (Red) 227th Aero Squadron Toal Sector

French recipient units (partial list)

* 1st Infantry Regiment * 54th Infantry Regiment *

126th Infantry Regiment The 126th Infantry Regiment ("Second Michigan") is a United States military unit of the Michigan Army National Guard. The 126th was originally an infantry regiment, then was converted into an armoured role, and then was converted to a light ...

* 2nd Battalions of Light Infantry of Africa * 1st Cuirassier Regiment * 12th Cuirassier Regiment * 6th Dragoon Regiment * 9th Hussar Regiment * 1st Artillery Regiment * 2nd Dragoon Regiment * 1st Moroccan Division * French battleship Bouvet * French battleship Gaulois * French submarine Bernouilli * Lafayette Escadrille

Allied recipient units (partial list)

* Portuguese Expeditionary Corps 15th Infantry Battalion * Russian Expeditionary Force Russian Legion Battalion * The Black Watch *

Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the First World War and the Second World War. In 1 ...

Boraston and Bax p.277 *5th Battery R.F.A. *2nd Motorized Field Ambulance *24th Field Ambulance * 5th Field Artillery Regiment * 2nd Infantry Division ** 15th Field Artillery Regiment * 3rd Infantry Division * 4th Infantry Division * 26th Infantry Division * 32nd Infantry Division :*

119th Field Artillery Regiment The 119th Field Artillery Regiment (119th FA), nicknamed the "Red Lions", is a Parent Field Artillery Regiment of the United States Army Regimental System (USARS) in the Michigan Army National Guard. The headquarters of the 119th Field Artille ...

* 93rd Infantry Division * 39th Infantry Regiment * 104th Infantry Regiment *

369th Infantry Regiment The 369th Infantry Regiment, originally formed as the 15th New York National Guard Regiment before being re-organized as the 369th upon federalization and commonly referred to as the Harlem Hellfighters, was an infantry regiment of the Ne ...

* 370th Infantry Regiment *

5th Marine Regiment The 5th Marine Regiment (also referred to as "5th Marines") is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps and falls u ...

6th Marine Regiment The 6th Marine Regiment (also referred to as "6th Marines") is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The regiment falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Division of the ...

Recipient cities (partial list)

Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded b ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

* Dinant * Montdidier *

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. Th ...

* Épernay *

Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the No ...

* Nancy *

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...

References

External links

France Phaléristique

Museum of the Legion of Honour
{{DEFAULTSORT:Croix de guerre 1914-1918 (France) 1915 establishments in France Awards established in 1915 Courage awards Military awards and decorations of France Military awards and decorations of World War I France in World War I Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)

Award statute

Award description

Notable French recipients (partial list)

Notable foreign recipients (partial list)

French recipient units (partial list)

Allied recipient units (partial list)

Recipient cities (partial list)

See also

References

External links