Croix de Guerre 1939–1945

Croix de guerre 1939–1945
Croix de guerre 1939–1945
	1939–1945 War Cross with 2 silver-gilt (gold) stars
Type	Bravery award
Awarded for	Military duty during World War II mentioned in dispatches
Presented by	France
Clasps	silver-gilt palm; silver palm; bronze palm; silver-gilt star; silver star; bronze star
Status	No longer awarded
Established	September 26, 1939
First awarded	1939
	; ; Ribbon bar & streamer of the French Croix de guerre 1939–1945
Precedence
Next (higher)	Croix de guerre 1914–1918
Next (lower)	Croix de guerre des TOE

The Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (War Cross 1939–1945) is a French military decoration, a version of the Croix de guerre created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis forces at any time during World War II.

Award statute[]

Due to the large extent of the war zone, recipients included those who fought during, with, at, or in the following:^[1]

Battle of France
French Forces of the Interior
Free French Forces
Western Front
Middle East Theater
Mediterranean Theater
African campaigns

Award description[]

Medal[]

The Croix de guerre was designed by the sculptor Paul-Albert Bartholomé. The medal is 37 mm in size and is in the shape of a Maltese cross with two swords criss-crossed through the center. In the center of the front, is the profile of the French Republic crested by a Phrygian cap. Around this portrait, are the words République française ("French Republic"). On the reverse of the medal are the dates of the conflict : 1939–1940, 1939–1945, or simply 1940.^[1]

Ribbon[]

The suspension and service ribbon of the medal has a red background crossed with four green lines in its center.^[2]

Devices[]

On every medal and ribbon, there is at least one ribbon device, either in the shape of a palm or of a star, and fashioned from either bronze, silver or silver-gilt (vermeil). The relative importance of the six possible combinations is detailed below. The total number of devices on a "Croix de guerre" is not limited.

Award grades[]

Reverse of the 1939–1945 War Cross

Mentioned in Despatches[]

The lowest degree is represented by a bronze star while the highest degree is represented by a bronze palm:^[2]

Bronze star (étoile en bronze) for those who had been mentioned at the regiment or brigade level.
Silver star (étoile en argent), for those who had been mentioned at the division level.
Silver-gilt star (étoile en vermeil), for those who had been mentioned at the corps level.
Bronze palm (palme en bronze), for those who had been mentioned at the army level.
Silver palm (palme en argent), represents five bronze ones.
Silver-gilt palm (palme en vermeil), for those who had been mentioned at the Free French Forces level (World War II only).^[1]

The clasps are awarded for gallantry to any member of the French military or its allies and are, depending on the degree, roughly the equivalent to the U.S. Bronze Star and Silver Star or UK Military Cross and Military Medal.

Notable recipients[]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Marc Champenois. "Croix de guerre 1939–1945" (in French). France-phaleristique.com. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Croix De Guerre, France". The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.

[fr-ph-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Marc Champenois. "Croix de guerre 1939–1945" (in French). France-phaleristique.com. Retrieved 1 November 2013.

[tioh-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Croix De Guerre, France". The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.

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