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Heroic airmen and their exploits

Chapter 32: CHAPTER XXVII
By E. Walter Walters
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About This Book

This collection traces the early engineering and rapid wartime development of airships and aeroplanes, explains basic principles without technical depth, and celebrates individual aviators’ daring exploits. It interleaves concise historical sketches of machine types and operational roles with portraits of notable fliers and accounts of patrols, engagements, captures, and decorations. Separate chapters survey contributions and praise from allied nations, enemy activity, and the air arm’s growing strategic importance, concluding with lists of honours and memorials for those who died. The overall aim is to inform readers about aerial progress while highlighting courage and sacrifice.

CHAPTER XXVII

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

The various awards and decorations conferred upon aviators and other men of heroic stamp claim our keenest interest. Mention has already been made of the Victoria Cross and other familiar orders. Here we purpose setting down a few of the outstanding points of interest regarding leading French and Russian orders and decorations, and of certain medals awarded by our own King for heroic and meritorious service.

The Legion of Honour is the only Order of France. It was instituted by Napoleon in 1802 as a general military and civil order of merit. The French Cross of War dates from 1915, and is awarded for distinguished service to both officers and men. The qualification for the distinction is that the action must be mentioned in the orders of the day. The French military medal was created in 1852. N.C.O.’s and men are eligible. It is also deemed the highest decoration for generals.

The Russian Order of St. George was founded in 1769 by the Empress Catherine II. It was originally intended to be a reward for conspicuous bravery in the field. It consists of eight classes, the first four of which are higher degrees, and are awarded to officers only, the remaining four being reserved for men. The peculiar method of tying the ribbon of the order indicates the various classes.

The English Distinguished Conduct Medal was instituted in 1862, and is awarded for individual acts of distinguished conduct in the field. The Distinguished Service Medal was instituted in 1914, and is awarded to chief petty officers and men of the Navy, and non-commissioned officers and men of the Royal Marines in cases where the Distinguished Service Order would be inappropriate. The Distinguished Service Cross was originally the Conspicuous Service Cross instituted in 1901. In 1914 the title was changed to the Distinguished Service Cross, and all officers below the rank of Lieutenant-Commander were made eligible for the award. It is frequently bestowed in cases where services are not considered of a suitable nature for appointment to the Distinguished Service Order.