Croix De Guerre Des Théâtres D'opérations Extérieures
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The (; "War Cross for Foreign Operational Theatres"), also called the for short, is a French military award denoting citations earned in combat in foreign countries. The Armistice of November 11, 1918 ended the war between France and Germany, but French soldiers continued fighting in theatres outside metropolitan France. Combat operations continued in Syria, Palestine, Constantinople, Morocco,
French West Africa French West Africa (, ) was a federation of eight French colonial empires#Second French colonial empire, French colonial territories in West Africa: Colonial Mauritania, Mauritania, French Senegal, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guin ...
and
French Equatorial Africa French Equatorial Africa (, or AEF) was a federation of French colonial territories in Equatorial Africa which consisted of Gabon, French Congo, Ubangi-Shari, and Chad. It existed from 1910 to 1958 and its administration was based in Brazzav ...
. The ''Croix de Guerre TOE'' is the second of three versions of the ''
Croix de Guerre The (, ''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 awarded during World ...
'' created since the award's inception, (the others being distinct versions for
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
), and the only one considered active for new awards.


History

A law was passed on April 30, 1921 establishing the new Croix de guerre for "Théâtres d'opérations extérieurs" (TOE). It was intended to commemorate the individual citations awarded during operations carried out since November 11, 1918 or that would occur in the future, for war service directly related to an expeditionary force used outside of the borders of France, otherwise, the statute of the Croix de guerre TOE was the same as that of the 1914 - 1918 Croix de guerre. Following the combat operations of the immediate post World War 1 Era, the Croix de Guerre TOE was again awarded for actions in Indochina, Madagascar, Korea, and during the
Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...
. After a hiatus of thirty-five years, it was again awarded for actions between January 17, 1991 and May 5, 1992 during the Gulf War (Order of Minister of Defence of 17 January 1991). It was also extended to military operations conducted in Kosovo in 1999.


Statute

The award criteria for the Croix de Guerre TOE are substantially the same as those governing the Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, the citations for the entire armed forces are made by the Minister of Defense unless this authority has been specially delegated to the commanding general of the expeditionary forces. The Croix de Guerre TOE is awarded to military personnel and civilians who have received an individual citation during war/combat operations on foreign soil. More precisely, it was awarded for citations earned in the following operational foreign theatres: * The Levant in 1918 and 1919, in the East from 1918 to 1920 in Morocco in 1918; * French Equatorial Africa (AEF) in 1919; * French West Africa (FWA) from 1918 to 1921; * Morocco (
Rif War The Rif War (, , ) was an armed conflict fought from 1921 to 1926 between Spain (joined by France in 1924) and the Berber tribes of the mountainous Rif region of northern Morocco. Led by Abd el-Krim, the Riffians at first inflicted several ...
) of 1921-1926; * Indochina in 1918-1922 and 1945–1954; * for military missions in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), Upper Silesia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Russia, the Caucasus, Siberia, Hungary and Romania; * Madagascar in 1947; * Korea from 1950 to 1953; * The Middle East (Egypt from 30 October 1956 to 31 December 1956 and the Gulf War of 17 January 1991 to 5 May 1992); * Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Kosovo from 24 March 1999 to 21 June 1999). For naval citations, their levels differ from the army as follows: * army level = made by a vice-admiral commander in chief of a naval force or fleet; * corps level = made by a vice-admiral commanding a naval squadron; * divisional level = made by a rear-admiral commanding an independent naval division; * brigade level = made by a rear-admiral or captain commanding a naval division; * regimental level = made by the senior officer commanding a vessel or a naval force other than those mentioned above.


Description


Cross

The ''Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures'' is a bronze 37 mm wide
cross pattée A cross pattée or cross patty (, ), also known as a cross formée or cross formy, or even a Templar cross, is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre and often flared in a curve or straight line shape to be broader at th ...
, between the arms, two crossed swords pointing upward. It was designed by the sculptor Albert Bartholome. On the obverse in a circular medallion, the effigy of the Republic (
Marianne Marianne () has been the national personification of the French Republic since the French Revolution, as a personification of liberty, equality, fraternity and reason, as well as a portrayal of the Goddess of Liberty. Marianne is displayed i ...
) wearing a cap decorated with a laurel wreath, surrounded by a ring bearing the legend: "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE". On the reverse, in the circular medallion the inscription: "THÉÂTRES D'OPÉRATIONS EXTÉRIEURS". The cross is suspended by a ring through the suspension loop to a 38 mm wide grey silk moiré ribbon with 10 mm wide red edge stripes. The Croix de guerre TOE is worn on the left side of the chest and when in the presence of other medals of France, is located immediately after the Croix de guerre 1939 - 1945.


Ribbon devices

Citations A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose o ...
(same as the Croix de guerre 1914-1918): * A bronze star (''etoile en bronze'') for
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
al or
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, 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 ...
level citations. * A silver star (''etoile en argent'') for divisional level citations. * A silver-gilt star (''etoile en vermeil'') for
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 formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...
level citations. * A bronze palm (''palme en bronze'') for
army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
level citations. * A silver palm (''palme en argent'') represents five bronze ones.


Notable recipients (partial list)

* General Maxime Weygand * Military nurse Geneviève de Galard * General Philippe François Marie, comte de Hauteclocque * General Jacques Émile Massu * Major Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc * Admiral Sir Manley Laurence Power (UK) * General Jacques Pâris de Bollardière * Colonel Jean Sassi * General Mariano Francisco Julio Goybet * General Edgard de Larminat * Brigadier General Jean Raoux * General Paul-Jean-Louis Azan * General Marcel "Bruno" Bigeard * General Alphonse Pierre Juin * Lieutenant Colonel Prince Dimitri Zedguinidze-Amilakhvari * Brigadier General Pierre Charles Albert Marie Langlais * Admiral Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu * Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Paul Jeanpierre * Lieutenant Bernard de Lattre de Tassigny * Major Barthélémy "Rémy" Raffali * General Phạm Văn Phú *Colonel Peter J. Ortiz, USMCR


See also

*
Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (France) The '' 1914–1918'' () was a French military decoration, the first version of the . It was created to recognize French and allied soldiers who were cited for valorous service during World War I, similar to the British '' mentioned in dispatche ...
*
Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France) Croix (French for "cross") may refer to: Belgium * Croix-lez-Rouveroy, a village in municipality of Estinnes in the province of Hainaut France * Croix, Nord, in the Nord department * Croix, Territoire de Belfort, in the Territoire de Belfort d ...
* Croix de guerre (Belgium)


References


External links


France Phaléristique
(in French) {{DEFAULTSORT:Croix De Guerre Des Theatres D'operations Exterieures Military awards and decorations of France Courage awards Awards established in 1921 French campaign medals 1921 establishments in France Aftermath of World War I in France Military awards and decorations of the Gulf War