The lowest level award is the Coix de Guerre (Cross of War) which was used by both France and Belgium which could be bestowed as a unit award or to individual soldiers, sailors and airmen of all ranks who distinguish themselves by acts of heroism involving combat with enemy forces. The medal is also awarded to those who have been "mentioned in despatches", meaning a heroic deed was performed meriting a citation from an individual's headquarters unit. The unit award of the Croix de Guerre was issued to military commands who performed heroic deeds in combat and were subsequently recognized by headquarters.
The medal was created by a law of April 2, 1915, proposed by France's "Chamber of Deputies" deputy Émile Driant who died at Verdun on February 22,1916 leading his men of the 56th and 59th Chasseurs à Pied at the Bois des Caures. (He had won this medal for his actions there). The medal reinstated an older system of mentions in dispatches, which were only administrative honours with no medal.
The French Croix de Guerre represents a mention in dispatches awarded by a commanding officer, at least a regimental commander. Depending on the officer who issued the mention, the ribbon of the croix is marked with extra pins.
Mentioned in Despatches :
a bronze star for those who had been mentioned at the regiment or brigade level.
a silver star, for those who had been mentioned at the division level.
a silver gilt star for those who had been mentioned at the corps level.
a bronze palm for those who had been mentioned at the army level.
Further acts of bravery resulted in the award of additional medal insignia worn on the ribbon of the medal, recipients of five bronze insignia were automatically entitled to a silver medal.
The medal was designed by the sculptor Paul-Albert Bartholomé which was 37 mm in diameter that took the form of a cross surmounted by two crossed swords. The centerpiece of the front side shows the symbolic profile of the French Third Republic (La Troisième République, sometimes written as La IIIe République) a young woman wearing a Phrygian cap named 'Madelone' with the words « République Française » (French Republic) encircle the portrait. The reverse of the medal bore one of the following dates: '1914-1915', '1914-1916', '1914-1917' or '1914-1918'.
The ribbon was green with seven narrow vertical red stripes.
The Croix de Guerre can also be awarded to military units, as a manifestation of a collective Mention in Despatches. It is then displayed on the unit's flag. A unit, usually a regiment or a battalion, is always mentioned at the army level. The Croix is then a Croix de Guerre with palm. Other communities, such as cities or companies can be also awarded the medal such as was the case for the city of Verdun during the war.
When a unit is mentioned twice, it is awarded the fourragère of the Croix de Guerre. This fourragère is worn by all men in the unit, but it can be worn on a personal basis: those permanently assigned to a unit, at the time of the mentions, were entitled to wear the fourragère for the remainder of service in the military.
The 151ème Régiment d'Infanterie de Ligne was awarded this fourragère in 1917.
The Croix de Guerre was also commonly bestowed to foreign military forces allied to France and Belgium such as Alvin C. York who was awardec the medal with bronze palm for his valor in the Battle of Meuse River-Argonne Forest near the town of Verdun, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker of the 94th Aero Squadron, United States Army Air Service, American poet Sergeant Joyce Kilmer with the 69th Volunteer Infantry, 42nd Rainbow Division as well as members of United States 5th Marine Regiment and 6th Marine Regiment, the Army's 2nd Infantry Division, the Army's 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, and the 1st BN U.S. 28th Infantry Regiment, who are authorized to wear a fourragère signifying that brigade's award of three Croix de Guerre during the World War I.
This medal is roughly the equivalent to the U.S. Bronze Star and Silver Star or the UK Military Cross and Military Medal.
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