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Post by Larry Dunn on Jul 28, 2009 17:42:08 GMT -8
Here are some interesting statistics for gallantry awards during the Great War (Country, Award: total awarded):
Allies:
Great Britain/Commonwealth, Victoria Cross: 628
France, Legion d'honeur: 55,000
USA, Congressional Medal of Honor: 124
(not sure about Russia, Belgium, Italy, etc.)
Central Powers:
Germany, Pour le Merite: 687
Austria-Hungary, Military Order of Maria Theresa: 131
Bulgaria: Military Order for Bravery, ?
Notes: Only officers were eligible for the Pour le Merite and the MOMTh.
-Larry (waiting for Seph to say something snarky about the French)
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Post by rmli on Jul 28, 2009 18:03:10 GMT -8
Why wait? The numbers speak for themselves.
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Post by rmli on Jul 28, 2009 20:03:51 GMT -8
Oh WOW!!! I didn't think of that!!! That means that, at the next event, all of the Frenchies need to be wearing a Legion d' Honeur. Or else they are out of uniform!!! But nothing new on that account.
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qms
Full Member
Posts: 100
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Post by qms on Aug 4, 2009 8:44:33 GMT -8
If I recall correctly, two of the Lancashire Fusilier VCs were awarded by ballot (were effectively battalion rather than individual awards) and I believe one was only instituted late (or even post) war - but I'd have to re-read to confirm that.
Tom
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Post by Larry Dunn on Aug 5, 2009 6:54:54 GMT -8
In Austria, the Empire may have gone, but the bureaucracy lingered on, with awards of the Military Order of Maria Theresa for actions in the Great War spread over a number of years. Georg von Trapp did not receive his until 1924, and the last award was not made until 1931!
-Larry
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Post by Larry Dunn on Aug 14, 2009 8:05:52 GMT -8
I just found a listing of decorations for K.u.K IR 61 (this list may not include awards made in 1918):
5 Golden Bravery Medals (highest award for enlisted & NCOs)
197 Silver Bravery Medals, first class
676 Silver Bravery Medals, 2nd class
2136 Bronze Bravery Medals
38 Gold and Silver Verdienstkreutz mit der Krone (Service cross w/crown)
34 EVK-Iron service cross with crown
76 EV- Iron service cross
3228 Karl Truppen Kreuz
In addition, Hauptmann Peter Roosz was awarded the Military Maria Theresa Order for his actions in the 10th Battle of the Isonzo at the final promotion of the Order in 1931.
Update The above list only includes awards made by July 31, 1917. Additionally, the regiment as a whole was awarded the EVK for their action during the 10th Isonzo.
-Larry
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Post by Larry Dunn on Feb 23, 2010 11:16:51 GMT -8
Here's another tidbit--during WWI, there were only 20 "Pour le Mérite" awarded to foreigners, all to either royals or general officers, with one exception: Lt. Col. Rudolph Popelka, who received his award for heroic action on the Western Front, 11 October, 1918 while serving with the K.u.K. IR 5, in the Austro-Hungarian 1stIB (same brigade as IR 61).
-Larry
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Post by rsm2ndbtnlf on Feb 23, 2010 12:20:47 GMT -8
Does anyone know the number of individuals.... of their chosen impression.... who gained the countries highest award twice, or maybe three times? For Great Britian, the Victoria Cross has only had three double awardee's..... VC and Bar. Lieutenant-Colonel [Lt-Col] Arthur Martin Leake, Royal Army Medical Corps [RAMC] = The Boer War & World War One.  Captain [Capt] Noel Godfrey Chevasse, Royal Army Medical Corps [RAMC] = World War One.  Capt. Noel Godfrey Chavasee has the unique distinction of being the only individual to have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice for the same conflict. Unfortunatelly, his second VC award was made postumously. Captain [Capt] Charles Hazlitt Upham, 2oth New Zealand Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force [20th NZ Btn, 2nd NZEF] = World War Two.  An interesting point about Capt. Upham, is that although serving in the New Zealand Armed Forces, he was an Englishman. Seph |
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Post by Larry Dunn on Feb 23, 2010 14:23:02 GMT -8
There were no multiple awards of the MMThO--once you were in the Order, you were in. Julius Arígí and Kurt Gruber (both pilots) were awarded the Golden Bravery Medal four times (Gruber's 4th award was posthumous) Here's a pic of Julius Arígí (note the three bars on his first medal):  There were a half-dozen three-time recipients and around 30 double recipients--mostly aviators. GBM winners were supposed to assigned to behind-the-lines duty after their award, but Austria-Hungary was chronically short of pilots, so they were sent right back to the meat grinder. -Larry |
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1886lebel
GWHS 
151?me R?giment d'Infanterie de Ligne
Posts: 732
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Post by 1886lebel on Feb 23, 2010 14:42:35 GMT -8
French ones are so convuluted it will be nearly impossible to list them .... you have so many different categories within the Legion d'honeur, you could move up in class and so forth.
Napoleon really did a number on medal issue for France, anyone could get one, you sneezed right and you got one.
The two military medals the Croix de Guerre and Medaille Militaire are easier to understand but you still have a convulated system as they could be issued at regimental, battalion, brigade, corps or army level and multiple awards could be issued dependent on the organization that issued them. See my post on the awards in French area of the forum
Patrick
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Post by rsm2ndbtnlf on Feb 23, 2010 15:27:41 GMT -8
I've just been asked a question about... Capt. N.G. Chavasse. "Q"... Why, if Capt. Chavasse was serving with the RAMC, is he shown as a Scottish Regimental Officer?Good question, but the answer is very simple.....  The above illustrated Cap Badge is that of the Royal Army Medical Corps (see uniform collar dogs / badges), Capt. Chavasse's parent regiment. He was, at the time of the illustrated photograph, holding the rank of - 2nd Lieutenant [2-pips], and was attached to.... The King's (Liverpool Regiment)... ...serving with the 10th Battalion... ....it being the : 10th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) - The Liverpool Scottish. The only uniform items of this battalion being worn by Capt. Chavasse, are the Scottish Glengarry headdress with Battalion cap badge. That's cleared up the mist I hope! Easy wasn't it? Seph ;D |
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Post by rmli on Feb 23, 2010 16:00:24 GMT -8
"holding the rank of - 2nd Lieutenant [2-pips], "
Sorry to rat on you, Seph. 1 pip is a 2nd LT.
I just looked it up to make sure.
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Post by rsm2ndbtnlf on Feb 23, 2010 16:10:18 GMT -8
;D ;D ;D It doesn't really matter with a Looie, as they are called 2nd Lt... or Lt, depending upon who is introducing them, which is why I bracketed the [2 pips]. Just one of those quaint contradiction of the British Armed Forces.... Nice try though ;D  ;D On the official side.. you quite correct.. well done! Seph |
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Post by rmli on Feb 23, 2010 16:23:13 GMT -8
There is nothing in the Army more dangerous than a 2nd Lt with a map and compass.
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Post by hocfutue on Feb 23, 2010 19:31:30 GMT -8
Second most dangerous thing in the Army--a clerk with a grudge. The military runs on paperwork, and that paper can be very easily, mislaid, misplaced, misfiled, misdated, vanish into the ether...
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;D