France, Republic. A Croix De Guerre, Exterior Theatres Of Operations Issue, C.1921

A French War Cross for Exterior Theatres of Operations, (Croix De Guerre des Théâtres d'Opérations Extérieurs = TOE); Bronze, unmarked, "TOE" (Théâtres d'Opérations Extérieurs) reverse, 38.5 mm (w) x 45 mm (h) inclusive of its ball suspension, original ribbon, extremely fine.

Footnote: With the end of the First World War, there was concern by the Republic of France, as it had an empire, with multiple conflicts in its colonies around the world since November 11, 1918. On April 30. 1921, the Republic decreed "la Croix De Guerre des Théâtres d'Opérations Extérieurs" (or TOE). The First World War Cross had similar regulations, however, this cross was for overseas conflicts, not for France itself. The cross was very similar to the Decree of April 23, 1915, with the reverse disk bearing the inscription "TOE" (Théâtres d'Opérations Extérieurs). The ribbon was designed with three vertical stripes, the central one in light blue, flanked by red stripes on either side, and bearig the devices appropriate to the citations awarded. In the 1920s and the 1930s, there were expeditions in Syria and Morocco, and with "Pirates" (Bandits) and a communist-led rising in Yen Bay province in Indochina. After 1945, there were many actions in the Levent, Laos, Cambodia, Algeria, Chad (Tchad), Senegal, French Cameroons, etc. The Indochinese War (1946-1954) cost the Foreign Legion 314 officers and 10,168 men dead, with three times that many wounded. In the last sixty years, conflicts in Serbia, Yugoslavia, Congo and Afghanistan have added to the list for the awarding of the cross.