The Award of the French Croix de Guerre (1914-18) to Units of the British Army (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781474541879)

Detailing the collective awards, to units of the British Army, of this WW1 award, this was a rare distinction to British units. Each action was the subject of a Citation. The decoration was confirmed by the award of a certificate. This modest publication contains a schedule of units that received the award, along with citations and special orders of the day. Display and dress embellishments are also noted in some cases. This is an overlooked nuance of what is a very scarce awarding of an extremely common decoration.

The Croix de Guerre was first introduced in 1915, during the First World War. The ribbon features vertical green and red stripes, while the medal itself consists of a bronze cross, with crossed swords behind. In the centre of the medal, on the obverse side, a bust of Marianne (the personification of the French Republic) can be seen. On the reverse, a circle surrounds the dates of the conflict for which the medal was awarded (for example: 1914-1918). The Croix de Guerre is awarded for courage in battle. Unlike most military medals, it can be awarded to both individuals and units for their heroic actions.