War Cross (Greece)  The War Cross () is a military decoration of Greece, awarded for heroism in wartime to both Greeks and foreign allies. There have been three versions of the cross, the 1917 version covering World War I, the 1940 version covering the Second World War and the Greek Civil War, and the 1974 version covering peacekeeping missions in the subsequent years. The first version was established by the Venizelist "National Defence" Government on 28 February 1917, and confirmed by Royal Decree on 31 October, shortly after the entry of the whole of Greece in the First World War. Its creation was inspired by the French "Croix de guerre", and it was awarded to military personnel of all branches for acts of valour in the Macedonian front (1916–1918), the Allied Expedition to the Ukraine (1919) and the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 (rarely after 1920 due to its Venizelist connotations). In addition, from 1919, the first class could be awarded to the war flags of distinguished regiments. The medal was designed by the French sculptor André Rivaud, featuring a silver medal consisting of a vertical sword on a circular wreath, with a horizontal plaque, bearing the ancient Spartan motto "Η ΤΑΝ Η ΕΠΙ ΤΑΣ" ("[return home] either with your shield, or upon it") underneath. The reverse bears the inscription "ΕΛΛΑΣ" ("Greece") and underneath the dates "1916–1917". The ribbon was black, edged with blue, and 35–37 mm wide. The cross was awarded in three classes, distinguished by the devices born on the ribbon: the 3rd class being plain, the 2nd class bearing a bronze five-pointed star, and the 1st class a bronze palm leaf. Subsequent awards were designated by the addition of silver five-pointed stars on the ribbon. The Venizelist associations of the 1917 cross meant that, when Greece found itself at war again in October 1940 after the Italian invasion, the staunchly royalist dictatorial government chose an entirely different design instead of simply re-establishing the old version. The new medal was instituted by Royal Decree on 11 November 1940 (Compulsory Law 2646/1940) and continued to be awarded throughout the Second World War. It was re-authorised on 19 April 1947 for the Greek Civil War (1946–1949) and extended until 1953, covering the Greek participation in the Korean War.