War Cross (Norway)

War Cross with sword
Awarded by Norway
Type Military cross
Awarded for Extraordinary brave actions or extraordinary leadership during combat
Status Currently awarded
Statistics
Established 23 May 1941
First awarded 28 November 1941[1]
Last awarded 4 April 2014[2]
Total awarded 288
Posthumous
awards		 26
Precedence
Next (lower) Medal for Outstanding Civic Achievement

The War Cross with Sword (Norwegian Bokmål: Krigskorset med Sverd, Norwegian Nynorsk: Krigskrossen med Sverd) is the highest ranking Norwegian gallantry decoration. It is awarded for extraordinary brave actions or extraordinary leadership during combat. A recipient deemed worthy of additional citations will receive up to an additional two swords on the medal ribbon in addition to the "standard" single sword. Additional citations are rare: Gunnar Sønsteby is the only person to have received the War Cross with three swords (more appropriately known as "War Cross with sword and two swords").

History

The medal was established on 23 May 1941 by royal resolution of King Haakon VII, who was in London with the government in exile due to the Nazi occupation of Norway. At that time, "royal" awards were made (to members of the British Royal family for example) and awards could be made for meritorious activities not associated with combat (extraordinary achievements or contributions for Norway's cause and war effort): these were made without the sword. The statutes were amended on 18 May 1945, restricting awards to the actions of military personnel in combat situations, thus all subsequent decorations would to be "with sword".[3] At the same time, Haakon VII's Freedom Cross was established to replace the War Cross for civilian achievements.[4]

Awards of the War Cross ceased in 1949, but on 26 June 2009 the statutes were again revised to permit awards for actions after 1945.[5]

Recipients

Since its inception, Krigskorset has been awarded to 126 non-Norwegians. These awards were mostly for actions during the Norway Campaign of 1940.

Number of recipients from various nations:

Canadian recipient

Gazetted 11 August 1942 while serving with the British Army:[8]

Norwegian recipients

Colonel Kristoffersen at the award ceremony 8 May 2011
Captain Lian 8 May 2011

Recipients of the War Cross are ranked 33 in the national Norwegian order of precedence, after bearers of Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with collar and before recipients of the Medal for Outstanding Civic Achievement.

Polish recipients

Gen. Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko

If not stated otherwise, all recipients were soldiers of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade (Samodzielna Brygada Strzelcow Podhalanskich), awarded 1942.

UK recipients

All the awards were made in 1942, unless stated:

Royal Family:

Royal Navy: Gazetted 13 October 1942[15]

Gazetted 23 March 1943:[16]

Other

Royal Marines: Gazetted 13 October 1942[15]

Army: Gazetted 11 August 1942[8]

Royal Air Force: Gazetted 6 October 1942[19]

Gazetted 18 December 1942:[20]

1943 Additions:

US recipients

See also

References

  1. ↑ Gjems-Onstad, Erik (1995). Krigskorset og St. Olavsmedaljen med ekegren,. Grøndahl og Dreyers Forlag. ISBN 978-82-504-2190-5.
  2. ↑ Award ceremony 8 May 2014: Norges ukjente helt, Forsvaret, 8 May 2014.
  3. ↑ There is some confusion, however, since it's unclear whether English language sources always make the correct with/without sword distinctions.
  4. ↑ "Krigskorset" (in Norwegian). 2 July 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  5. ↑ "FOR-2009-06-26-979: "Vedtak om endring i statutter for krigskorset"" (in Norwegian). Lovdata. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  6. ↑ List of Royal Military College of Canada people
  7. ↑ Veritas, Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada, December 1999, page 45
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35660. p. 3493. 7 August 1942. Retrieved 7 November 2008. List of most British Army recipients, granting them permission to wear the decoration (referred to as the Norwegian Military Cross), on their British uniforms
  9. ↑ "Krigskorset utdeles for første gang på 60 år" (in Norwegian). The Norwegian Government. 2 October 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  10. ↑ Hjeltnes, Guri (27 April 2004). "Dramaet på Dovre". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  11. ↑ Lysvold, Susanne (7 September 2007). "Ramsund-soldat innstilt til heltemedalje". Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  12. ↑ "Krigskorset med sverd tildeles Eirik Johan Kristoffersen og Jørg Lian" (in Norwegian). The Norwegian Government. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Offisielt fra statsråd 8.". www.regjeringen.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Prime Ministers Office. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 To nye krigskors tildelt forsvaret.no, retrieved 5 April 2013 (Norwegian)
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35743. p. 4450. 9 October 1942. Retrieved 25 November 2008. List of most Royal Navy and Royal Marines recipients, granting them permission to wear the decoration (referred to as the Norwegian War Cross), on their British uniforms
  16. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35950. p. 1372. 19 March 1943. Retrieved 3 May 1943.
  17. ↑ "Obituary—Sir Alexander Glen—Explorer with a passion for the Arctic wastes". The Guardian. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  18. ↑ "Gjems-Onstad, Erik (1995). Krigskorset og St. Olavsmedaljen med ekegren,. Grøndahl og Dreyers Forlag. ISBN 978-82-504-2190-5." (in Norwegian). Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  19. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35731. pp. 4343–4344. 2 October 1942. Retrieved 25 November 2008. List of most Royal Air Force recipients, granting them permission to wear the decoration (referred to as the Norwegian War Cross), on their British uniforms
  20. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35827. p. 5506. 15 December 1942. Retrieved 25 November 2008. Lists the remainder of the RAF recipients, granting them permission to wear the decoration (referred to as the Norwegian War Cross), on their British uniforms

External links