The Croix de Guerre 1939-1945

A new Croix de Guerre was created on 26 September 1939 similar to the 1914-1918 type but with a different ribbon (the colours of the Great War ribbon inverted) and the "1939" date on the reverse. As with the 1st World War type this cross was meant to show the recipient's bravery and individual citations are designated by stars or palms on the ribbon.

The Vichy War Cross

Field-Marshal Pétain as titular head of the German-controlled French Vichy government authorised this decoration on 28 March 1941. It differs from the official French cross by having the dates "1939-1940" on the reverse and by its light green with black stripes ribbon.

The War Cross of the French Voluntary Legion (Vichy)

This extremely rare cross was created in 1941 for Frenchmen who fought on the Eastern Front, alongside the Nazi German forces, against the Russians. It was thus awarded to the members of the Légion Volontaire Française who, after the war's end, were liable for charges of treason while having taken up arms on the side of France's enemy, Nazi Germany. The central medallion of the cross shows the Legion's shoulder emblem and is surrounded by a stylised wreath. The reverse has the description "CROIX / DE GUERRE / LEGIONNAIRE". The ribbon is green with black edges and black stripes. Copies of this cross do exist (as in the picture above right).

The War Cross 1943, Giraud-type

This very rare cross was instituted by General Giraud in 1943 for the troops under his command in North Africa. The obverse medallion shows two crossed flags and the reverse date is 1943. It was usually worn from the 1914-1918 War Cross ribbon, or sometimes from the WW2 War Cross ribbon and was disallowed by General de Gaulle and his provisional French government in London in 1944.

The Etat Français War Cross

Created by the Pétain regime early in 1944 as a purely military decoration, the only eligible personnel were soldiers of the 1er Régiment de France, raised in 1943, Marshall Pétain's bodyguard and sailors of the small Vichy navy. Between eighty and one hundred awards are estimated to have been made, mainly for combat against partisans of various French resistance groups and their SAS, OSS and SOE comrades. The 1944 Vichy Croix de Guerre was awarded for combat against partisans of various resistance groups and their SAS and SOE comrades. The cross bears the date 1944 on the reverse and the Vichy 'Francisque' with the legend ETAT FRANCAIS on the obverse.