French medals.

[Siggi]

...which is the first medal awarded for the French pilots?

 

TIA. :yes:

[+RAF_Louvert]

Siggi, it was nearly always the Croixe de Guerre, and likely with a bronze palm for being mentioned at the army level. You might also see it with the bronze star if the recipient was mentioned at the brigade level, (a lower award). The French CdG was the equivilent of the British "Mentioned in Despatches" and as such was awarded regularly, and often multiple times to the same soldier. With a few of the WWI aces, such as Guynemer, they had to wear two medals on their tunics to hold all the bronze palm attachments due to the number of times they had been presented the award.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Siggi]

Siggi, it was nearly always the Croixe de Guerre, and likely with a bronze palm for being mentioned at the army level. You might also see it with the bronze star if the recipient was mentioned at the brigade level, (a lower award). The French CdG was the equivilent of the British "Mentioned in Despatches" and as such was awarded regularly, and often multiple times to the same soldier. With a few of the WWI aces, such as Guynemer, they had to wear two medals on their tunics to hold all the bronze palm attachments due to the number of times they had been presented the award.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

Cheers Lou.

[Snoopy syndrome]

Just write "Croix de Guerre" ("War Cross" literally) and everything is OK.

 

It was created in the early part of WW1 (january 1915) to reward courage on the battlefield.

 

There was, before that and during the rest of the war, the "Médaille Militaire" and, of course, the famous "Légion d'Honneur" but i guess it was a more exclusive reward...

Edited May 1, 2009 by Snoopy syndrome