Greece/Italy - Help in correctly identifying GREEK decoration

[lilo]

Dear All,

I'm studing the medal entitlement of a very important and High Ranking Italian military Officer that is General Federico BAISTROCCHI (1871-1947).

Within his military papers, where all his medal entitlement is reported, there is the following entry that I have literally translated as :

- 'Decorated with the WAR CROSS of 1° class, awarded by His Excellency the Greek War Minister, mentioned in the Order of the Day dated 10^th July, 1935'.

After a conspicuous search on the web/forums I'm not still able to correctly identify this Greek War Cross also considering (and bearing in mind) the period in which it was awarded that is 1935 so I assume the name 'War Cross' was incorrectly used to describe a similar decoration.

In July 1935 Gen. BAISTROCCHI was an undersecretary at the War Ministry.

I would like to ask the very knowledge members of this forum – especially those well deep in the Greek medal system - to solve this mystery.

Last, if the exact identification is impossible, at least I would like to know which should be the most probable award this person obtained considering his position at the War Ministry and the year of the award (1935).

Many Thanks in advance for your Help and Time

Best Regards

Lilo

Edited April 10, 2011 by lilo

[Nicholas]

Dear Lilo,

By mentioning "War Cross" at 1935 they could only refer to the Greek War Cross of 1916-17 a gallantry medal that came in 3 classes and it was pretty much the equivalent of the French "Croix de Guerre".

Several such medals have been awarded to foreign nationals esp. senior officers of the "Armee d' Orient" in the Balkan Front around Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. Awards were made during WW1 and its aftermath but were altogether discontinued after 1936.

What was the role of the said Italian General during WW1? It would be interesting to know. He must have had something to do with the Balkan Front or Greece altogether.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for more info.

Best regards,

Nicholas

[lilo]

Hi Nicholas,

Many thanks for the time you spent to answer my question : much appreciated !

According Gen. Baistrocchi's military papers :

- He started WW1 as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Artillery;

- He left Italy for fighting in ALBANIA on 30^th Dec. 1915;

- On Feb. 1916 in ALBANIA He was appointed Commander of a mixed Group (I presume Artillery + Infantry);

- He returned to Italy from ALBANIA on 31^st May 1916;

- He was appointed Colonel on 3^rd August 1916;

- He finished the WW1 fighting in Italy and as a Brigadier General.

For what above reported, if you include the territory of ALBANIA and the military operations there made, in the 'Balkan Front' than He fought there but let me point out something else that could be important to let you confirm (or correct) what Greek award our General received later in his life :

1) Baistrocchi wasn't part of the Italian contingent that was part of the properly called 'Armee d'Orient' that was formed later in the war and

well after Baistrocchi left ALBANIA (1916);

2) He, as a Commanding Officer (Lt. Col.) of a group, participated in the fighting on the ALBANIA but not as a 'Senior' Officer;

3) He received the Greek 'War Cross' many years later (on 10th July 1935) from the end of WW1;

4) BAISTROCCHI received the Greek award when he was an undersecretary at the War Ministry in Italy by the hands of the Greek War

Minister;

5) Last but not the least, didn't the Greek War Cross 1916-17 stopped to be awarded in the later 1920's ?

Hope that you can establish at last and with a good grade of certainty which was the Greek arward conferred upon the General.

Best Regards

Lilo

P.S. From His military papers :

Edited April 13, 2011 by lilo

[Nicholas]

Hi Lilo,

Thanks for the info provided.

You are indeed right, awards of War Cross 1916-17 were discontinued to a very large extend after 1920 and only very few were made during the Asia Minor Campaign 1919-1922. During this campaign and particularly after the restoration and return of King Constantine to Greece, the WC was replaced by the Cross of Valour. The reasons were mostly political as the WC was instituted by the Govt of prime minister Venizelos an arch-rival of King Constantine and the royalists identified this award with that political regime. The WC and the medal of Military Merit (in 4 classes) were created and awarded by the "National Defence" movement organised by Venizelos in Thessaloniki, the same movement that actually put Greece in WW1 (King Constantine wanted the country to remain neutral, besides his family is of Danish-German origin).

So, during Asia Minor Campaign, WC awards were discontinued and officers were ordered to excange their WC with the Cross of Valour. Very few did that as WC was a very prestigious award, besides, most of them earned their Cross of Valour subsequently while fighting in the plains of Anatolia in Turkey so they had no real reason to bother.

After the disastrous result of that campaign and the abdication of King Constantine, the first Hellenic Republic was created and lasted up to 1935 when the new Restoration took place, now with the son of Constantine, King George II.

During the "Hellenic Republic" further WC awards were made to certain recipients that did not receive theirs before. We have seen several awarded documents with later dates to prove that. Many foreign officers received their WCs and Medals of Military Merit during that period, mainly for diplomatic and courtecy reasons.

I admit that the Italians could have mixed the Medal of Military Merit with the WC as both were contemporary awards. If you ask me, your General is much more likely to have received the Medal of Military Merit First Class (common award to allied Officers) than the WC which actually involves real battle action and/or battle formation command during war operations. Beyond these two medals, I can not think of any other Greek award that would fit the description. The only order that was awarded during that period was the Order of the Phoenix (1st type) but as this was a real order and not a medal the Italians should have mentioned so.

There is another Greek War Cross though with an "Albanian" flavor that might fit: The WC of the Autonomous Greek State of Northen Epirus (est in 1914), a rare and important award but I can not see how he could qualify for that one.

Say, is there any chance that we can have a picture of this General waering his medals? That could definitely solve the mystery as I can immediately identify any Greek award that he might wear.

Best regards,

Nicholas

[lilo]

Hi Lilo,

I admit that the Italians could have mixed the Medal of Military Merit with the WC as both were contemporary awards. If you ask me, your General is much more likely to have received the Medal of Military Merit First Class (common award to allied Officers) than the WC which actually involves real battle action and/or battle formation command during war operations. Beyond these two medals, I can not think of any other Greek award that would fit the description. The only order that was awarded during that period was the Order of the Phoenix (1st type) but as this was a real order and not a medal the Italians should have mentioned so.

Best regards,

Nicholas

Hi Nicholas,

Again many thanks for the detailed explanation !

I think that finally we have solved the mystery and this for what appear from the photo of the General with his ribbons, I attached below.

As you the same can see the ribbon that I have indicated with a 'red arrow' is - without any doubt left - that of the Greek War Cross 1916-17 (it is black with two edge stripes of a more clear colour) and moreover it follows the ribbon of the Italian War Cross.

Do you confirm it ?

Many Thanks

Best Regards

Lilo

Edited April 13, 2011 by lilo

[Nicholas]

Hi Lilo,

Yes, this is it, the Greek War Cross 1916-17. No doubt, although I can not discern it very well. The dark colour of the ribbon though is self evident.

Always at your disposal for any further enquiry.

Best regards,

Nicholas

[lilo]

Hi Nicholas,

Thank you very much for your help !

Best regards

Lilo