Skip to main content

Croix de Guerre (1914-15): CM.1192-2009

An image of Croix de Guerre (1914-15)
View image details

Terms of use

The low-resolution images published on this Website are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY-NC-ND). For more details: Fitzwilliam Terms of Use

This licence does not include any images of works that are still in copyright. Artistic copyright extends from the life of the artist to 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the artist died.

Download this image

For further information on use of images or to license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who can discuss terms and fees.

Alternative views

An image of Croix de Guerre (1914-15)
Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Artist: Bartholomé, Paul-André
Mint: Paris
State: France
Mint: Colmar, Paris

Entities

Categories

Description

As the Great War endured beyond the initial months that it was expected to last, the French government decided that a new medal was required to recognise oustanding service in the ongoing conflict. The Croix de Guerre was instituted in 1915 for all officers and men who had earned a mention in despatches. The first issue was struck bearing the years 1914 and 1915; the dates on subsequent issues were updated annually.
The bronze palm decoration on the medal, which is of the first, 1915, issue, demonstrates that the recipient was mentioned in Army Despatches--several higher categories were possible, which merited different adornments--but despite this, as the medal is unnamed, its recipient cannot be identified. This was one of the last medals that Lester Watson bought, from the Amsterdam dealers Schulman in 1936.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Schulman (Amsterdam) 1936

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.4 mm
Weight: 18.98 g

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

Production date: AD 1915

Materials used in production

Bronze

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Marianne facing right with inscription around, crossed swords in angles of cross

  • Text: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Inscription, with crossed swords in angles of cross

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1192-2009
Primary reference Number: 141286
Watson Catalogue: 81
Ordering: M-0075
Previous object number: LW.0075

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 25 March 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Croix de Guerre (1914-15)" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141286 Accessed: 2025-12-07 11:53:34

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141286 |title=Croix de Guerre (1914-15) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-07 11:53:34|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-141286

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0075_281_29.jpg"
        alt="Croix de Guerre (1914-15)"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Croix de Guerre (1914-15)</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...

University of Cambridge Museums logo
Cambridge City Council logo
Arts Council England Logo
Research England logo