Croix de Guerre 1914 - 1918

Instituted in April 1915 to commemorate mentions in dispatches. Awarded to all ranks, officers included, and officers and men of allied forces who were mentioned in French dispatches. The cross was awarded once, subsequent mentions were recognised by additional ribbon devices, as follows:

Brigade, Regimental or similar unit : a bronze star.

Divisional despatch: a silver star

Army Corps despatch : a silver gilt star

Army despatch : laurel branch ( palme)

Further mentions permitted further emblems of the appropriate variety to be worn. Five palmes in bronze would be substituted by a silver palme.

the cross exists in four main versions characterised by the year of award:
1. Reverse dated 1914-1915
2. Reverse dated 1914-1916
3. Reverse dated 1914-1917
4. Reverse dated 1914-1918

The Croix de Guerre could be awarded to a military unit as a whole, and a unit mention in dispatches would permit the wearing of the Fourragere.