Croix de Guerre (1914-18) awarded to Vice-Admiral Ernest Wigram, CMG, DSO.

Admiral Wigram was born in 1877 and entered the Royal Navy in 1891. During World War I he took part in the Falkland Islands campaign, the Dardanelles, operations on the Belgian coast and the raid on Zeebrugge. The following despatch was sent by Vice-Admiral Reginald Bacon, ‘On the evening of the 24th September, I despatched HMS ‘Prince Eugene’ (Captain E. Wigram, R.N.) and one other monitor and the requisite auxiliary craft to bombard the following morning, the coast of Knocke, Heyst, Zeebrugge and Blankenberghe (east of Ostende)…’ ‘London Gazette’ 12 January 1916.

Wigram was also Mentioned in Dispatches for services in action between 19 February and 24 April 1915 and was later awarded the DSO (‘London Gazette’ 12 January 1916). Admiral Wigram was created Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for his part in the raid on Zeebrugge in 1918, ‘This officer was in command of HM Monitor ‘Prince Eugene’. He led his division well inside the allotted range in order to bring the secondary armament of the vessel into action. This brought the ships under a heavy fire from the shore batteries, and undoubtedly contributed considerably to the success of the operations.’ The Dispatches of Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes.

The medal is in the form of a bronze cross pattée superimposed on two crossed swords. The central medallion on the obverse bears the symbolic head of the Republic (Marianne) encircled by the inscription: ‘REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE’. Inscribed on the reverse is ‘1914’ and ‘1917’. The medal is suspended from a watered silk ribbon, green with narrow red edges and five narrow vertical stripes.

It is mounted on a bar with eight other medals awarded to Wigram and held by the Museum: Distinguished Service Order (MED1219), Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (MED1218), 1914-15 Star (MED1220), British War Medal (MED1221), Victory Medal with oak leaf (MED1222), Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary (MED1223), Coronation of King VI and Queen Elizabeth (MED1224) and Belgian Order of Leopold, 4th Class (MED1225).