French Croix de Guerre with two palms: Lieutenant General W R Birdwood

Croix de Guerre with two palms. Unnamed as issued.

Croix de Guerre awarded to Lieutenant General William Riddell Birdwood, of the British Indian army. The award was gazetted on 24 February 1916 and 11 March 1919.

The Croix de Guerre is a French military decoration created in 1915 and was awarded to individuals or as a unit award to those who distinguished themselves by acts of heroism involving combat with enemy forces. It was awarded to those who had been 'mentioned in despatches' and is distinguished by Bronze, silver and silver-gilt palm or star emblems indicating the level at which they were recognised. Birdwood's Croix de Guerre features two bronze palms, indicating that he was twice mentioned in despatches at the army level.

Birdwood was born in 1865 at Kirkee, India and educated at Clifton College, Bristol, England. He was commissioned on his graduation from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1885, became a lieutenant with the 12th (Prince of Wales's) Royal Lancers on 9 May and posted to India. He later served during the Boer War on the staff of General Lord Kitchener who was, wrote Birdwood later, 'the greatest influence on my life'.

Birdwood returned to India from South Africa as Kitchener’s Assistant Military Secretary and Persian Interpreter. He served with distinction and in early 1908 was made Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire. Later that year was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for operations 'against the Zakka Khel and Mohmands'. He was made Companion of the Order of the Bath in June 1911 and promoted to the rank of major general later in the year.

Following the outbreak of the First World War Birdwood was appointed to command the forces raised by Australia and New Zealand, known as the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). He was promoted lieutenant general on 12 December 1914 and made Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India the following month.

During the first day on Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, Birdwood resisted the recommendations of his divisional commanders, Australian Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges and British Major General Alexander John Godley, to re-embark their forces and evacuate the peninsula. When Bridges was killed in May, Birdwood took command of the Australian Imperial Force. He was made Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in June and, in late 1915, was given responsibility for the newly designated Dardanelles Army.

This latter role made him accountable for the planning and execution of the evacuation in the final month of 1915. 'As long as wars last', wrote a German correspondent in Berlin’s 'Vossische Zeitung' on 21 January 1916, 'the evacuation of Suvla and Anzac will stand before the eyes of all strategists as a hitherto unattained masterpiece'.

Around this time Birdwood was awarded the French Legion d’Honneur and Croix de Guerre. Near the end of March 1916 Birdwood moved to France commanding the newly formed 1st Anzac Corps when the original Corps was split in two. His work with the Corps was recognised in June 1917 when he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. After bitter fighting in France and Belgium, the five Australian divisions of the 1st and 2nd Anzac Corps were united under Birdwood as the Australian Corps in November.

'For distinguished services rendered during the course of the campaign', Birdwood was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre in March 1918. Two months later was promoted to command the British Fifth Army. He maintained command of the AIF, but handed command of the Australian Corps over to Lieutenant General Sir John Monash.

In 1919 Birdwood was raised to the peerage as Baron of Anzac and Totnes and was further recognised with a number of domestic and foreign honours and awards; In 1919 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, Portuguese Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword, United States Distinguished Service Medal, a second French Croix de Guerre, and in 1921 the Japanese Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. During the war he had also been Mentioned in Despatches on numerous occasions.

Lord Birdwood toured Australia in 1920 to great acclaim and was made a general in the Australian Military Forces. He finally retired from the military as a field marshal in the Indian Army in 1930. He attracted additional commendations in 1927 and 1937 when he was made Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of St. John and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order respectively.

His desire to become Australia's Governor-General was thwarted when the Prime Minister insisted on the office being held by an Australian. Birdwood died in England in 1951 and was buried with full military honours.