Greek War Cross

The War Cross ( _el. Πολεμικός Σταυρός) is a military decoration of Greece, awarded for heroism in wartime to both Greeks and foreign allies. There have been two versions of the cross, the 1917 version covering World War I and the 1940 version the Second World War and the Greek Civil War.

The 1917 version

Establishment and history

The first version was established by the Venizelist "National Defence" Government on 28 February 1917, and confirmed by Royal Decree on 31 October, shortly after the entry of the whole of Greece in the war. Its creation was inspired by the French "Croix de guerre", and it was awarded to military personnel of all branches for acts of valour during the Greek participation in World War I (1916-1918), the Allied Expedition to the Ukraine (1919) and the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922 (rarely after 1920). In addition, from 1919, the first class could be awarded to the war flags of distinguished regiments.

Design and awards

The medal was designed by the French sculptor André Rivaud, featuring a silver medal consisting of a vertical sword on a circular wreath, with a horizontal plaque, bearing the ancient Spartan motto "Η ΤΑΝ Η ΕΠΙ ΤΑΣ" (" [return home] either with your shield, or upon it") underneath. The reverse bears the inscription "ΕΛΛΑΣ" ("Greece") and underneath the dates "1916-1917". The ribbon was black, edged with blue, and 35-37 mm wide. The cross was awarded in three classes, distinguished by the devices born on the ribbon: the 3rd class being plain, the 2nd class bearing a bronze five-pointed star, and the 1st class a bronze palm leaf. Subsequent awards were designated by the addition of silver five-pointed stars on the ribbon.

The 1940 version

Establishment and history

The Venizelist associations of the 1917 cross meant that, when Greece found itself at war again in October 1940 after the Italian invasion, the staunchly royalist dictatorial government chose an entirely different design instead of simply re-establishing the old version. The new medal was instituted by Royal Decree on 11 November 1940 (Compulsory Law 2646/1940) and continued to be awarded throughout the Second World War, and was re-authorised on 19 April 1947 for the Greek Civil War (1946-1949) and extended until 1953, covering the Greek participation in the Korean War. It was awarded to Greek and Allied military personnel, as well as to regimental war flags.

Design and awards

The medal's design is essentially a modification of the French "Croix de guerre", featuring a bronze cross pattée with the royal monogram (two crossed gammas and a crown) of King George II, atop two crossed swords, and topped by a royal crown. The reverse bears the date "1940". The ribbon features three equal alternating bands of red, blue and red. The cross was awarded in three classes, distinguished by the colour of the crown: bronze for the 3rd class, silver for the 2nd, and gold for the 1st class. Until 1942, the first award could be in any class, but according to Compulsory Law 3120/1942, the first award had always to be made in the 3rd class. Up to three subsequent awards remained in the same class (denoted by the number of miniature crowns on the ribbon), but the fifth and eighth awards upgraded the medal to the 2nd and 1st classes respectively. Several variations exist due to the fact that many manufacturers were used, some in Greece and others in the United Kingdom, with minor variations in the style of the crown and the cross, as well as design of the obverse side (in some versions, the date lies within a circle).

Sources

* [http://www.geetha.mil.gr/media/21noe/timitikes-diakriseis-polemikon-shmaion.pdf War Flags Decorations] , from the "Military Review", January 2001, Hellenic General Staff of National Defence magazine

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/greekmedals/WarCross.htm Awards of the 1940 War Cross to New Zealanders]
* [http://www.phalerae.org/Grece/Croix_Guerre_1940/index.html The 1940 War Cross] , at "Phaléristique européenne"