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    French Croix de Guerre WWI


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    • 5 months later...
    • Replies 230
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    Posted (edited)

    I have a question regarding date variation as it coincided to date of award. If a person was awarded a CdG in 1918, would he have received the 14-18 variation without exception or is there any chance that a 14-16, 14-17, etc. could somehow slip through the supply chain cracks and be awarded in '18??

    Edited by Mark McM
    • 1 year later...
    Posted

    Hi,

     

    Just to wake up this sleeping topic...

     

    One beautiful 1917 in solid silver probably made by Arthus-Bertrand:

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-38592800-1424797114.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-34750300-1424797248.jpg

     

    Another 1916 in silver gilt, made by Bacqueville:

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-27729300-1424797209.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-91944500-1424797292.jpg

     

    And a group from Capitaine Charles Costes, awarded during the Somme Battle, while its unit was attached to the British Forces:

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-48328000-1424797628.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-35600400-1424797655.jpg

     

     

    Regards

    Bison

    Posted (edited)

    Here are the documents.

     

    CdG:

     

    French notification for MC (there are other nominations for DSO, DSC and MM:

     

    All found with the original boxes:

     

    Cheers

    Edited by Bison
    Posted (edited)

    Another nice one, in bronze, dated 1917, with seven palms and three stars. All palms and stars are in silver or silver gilt with a guarantee stamp "head of boar"

    Unfortunately the name of the recipient has been lost. I wish I would retrieve it one day...

    Maybe an aviator... or a commanding officer...

     

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-23019800-1424972915.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-48093500-1424972935.jpg

     

    Regards

    Bison

    Edited by Bison
    Posted

    Wow, now that is superb. I've dreamed of having one such piece in my French Collection. I have many but none so nice.

    Posted (edited)

    Another group with an Officer of the Légion d'honneur, Croix de guerre 1915 with one palm and four stars, and a Military Cross.

     

    Unfortunately I have failed to find the name of the recipient...

     

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-43807000-1425058359.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-06017600-1425058382.jpg

     

    And below, another unusual reduction group, half size of the actual size. The Croix de guerre 1915 is in silver gilt with two tiny palms. Probably for a woman (?)

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-39325100-1425058476.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-2068-0-26236300-1425058508.jpg

     

    Regards

    Bison

    Edited by Bison
    • 7 months later...
    Posted (edited)

    1914-17_CROIX_DE_GUERRE_Argent_jpg_.thumHello Igor,

    Your silver croix de guerre is a very nice one. The small  "hole" on the obverse of the short section between the upper arm of the cross and the ball for the ring is the "boar-head" French hallmark for silver.

    You realise that it is not any special class or level of the croix de guerre, just a private refinement. Such crosses were available from a number of private firms who offered for sale badges not only in the normal bronze material, but also (at a higher cost) in silver or silver gilt. Not a special award of any kind.

    On the other hand, the palm in silver was meant to replace five bronze palms. I am not sure it was perfectly official, but it certainly was understood as such. French Air Force pilots would receive a large number of mentions in dispatches ("citation") each one with a new device on the ribbon of the  pilot's cross. The use of silver palms for five bronze palms provided better looking décorations.

    A very nice cross which looks the period, very similar to this other one shown at the top of this message. Silver palms exist here too... and I cannot tell wether they are meant to replace five bronze palms each or if they are an "improved" appearance for bronze palms. It could have belonged to one of the "fly-boys" who would not generally have been challenged for such an initiative.

    Congratulations for this fine croix de guerre. They are quite scarce.

    Regards

    Veteran

     

     

     

     

     

    Edited by Veteran
    • 4 weeks later...
    Posted

    post-2230-1226168284_thumb.jpg

    Ive not seen Palms sewn on this close before. Ok at a lot of photos and it ps rare to see anyone other than a pilot with more than 4-5 palms.

    well, I think I found one showing them placed this close.

    This well known ace Charles Nungesser

    image.jpg

    Posted

    Hard for me to say 100%.  Tried to enlarge the photo/s a bit here but I think I can see the ribbon striping between some of these palms, even half-way down the ribbon.  Larger, brighter pics would be better to say for sure.

    Tim

    Posted

    This fellow has palms stacked with overlap

    image.jpeg

    Better photo of Nungesser CdG with palms overlapping.

     

    image.jpeg

    • 4 weeks later...
    • 4 months later...

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