Bronze-gilt cross pattée with stippled arms, with crossed swords between the arms, on scroll and laterally-pierced ball suspension; the face with a circular central medallion bearing a female head facing right representing the French Republic within a ring inscribed ‘REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE’ and decorated with laurel leaves below; the reverse with a circular central medallion with the dates ‘1914’ and ‘1918’; the central medallion of the reverse dished; on replaced correct ribbon.
The award was created on 8 April 1915 and attributed to military personnel who received an individual citation for feats of arms.
Versions exists dated 1914-1915, 1914-1916, 1914-1917 and 1914-1918, the latter being more commonly found than the others, awarded up to 1920 to ensure that military dead, wounded and missing in action were properly recognised.
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