Irish Born WW1 Veterans

In the mid 90s,the French Government Awarded the (Légion d'Honneur, Chevalier class) to all eligible surviving allied first world war veterans who served in France during 1914-18. This award is meant to reflect the gratitude of the French people for services to France during that difficult time. Irish  survivors of world war one who served in France during that period would be entitled to make application. The Legion of Honor (Légion d'Honneur) is currently France's premier order and has 5 classes.Knight (Chevalier) Officer (Officier), Commander (Commandeur), Grand Officer (Grands Officier), Grand Cross (Grands Croix Croix) .It is France's highest distinction and is awarded to all persons which distinguished themselves through civilian or military valour. The order was instituted early in the 19th century (1802) by the then First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Obverse text : REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE 1870
Reverse text : HONNEUR ET PATRIE (Honour and Fatherland)

History

The Legion of Honour was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte. Following a dinner in his home at Malmaison in February l802 to which he had invited several friends, including a general and a celebrated mathematician, Napoleon expressed his desire to reward men both for outstanding military accomplishments as well as for other distinguished service to the State. He rejected the suggestion to restore the Cross of Saint Louis, a military award created in 1693, and abolished in 1792 during the French Revolution.

Although this proposal was greeted coolly, since many hoped to reestablish the class distinctions eliminated by the revolutionaries of 1789, Napoleon proceeded to set down his ideas and submitted his plan to the Council of State early in May 1802. In spite of considerable opposition, Napoleon remained adamant and refused to accept the recommendation that the award be restricted to military men. After heated debate, the Council finally adopted the plan, 14 to 10, and it was subsequently passed in the Legislative Assembly.

The Legion of Honour was established by law on May 19, 1802. In expressing his reasons for cresting the Order, Napoleon said: "It will be an institution which will further all our republican laws and strengthen the Revolution. It will remove all distinctions of nobility, which placed inherited glory above acquired glory and descendants of great men above great men." One of the original supporters of Napoleon's plan had said that the Legion of Honour would reward "actions considered beyond all recompense."

At first the Legion of Honour was made up of cohorts, corresponding to territorial divisions, with headquarters throughout France in the chateaux and ecclesiastical palaces that had been confiscated during the Revolution. Each Legionnaire received an annual honorarium according to his rank and his name was inscribed on a marble tablet in the headquarters of his cohort, as well as on similar tablets in the Invalides in Paris.

Until 1809 each cohort had its own local organisation, headed by a Grand Officer, a Treasurer and a Council of Administration. The central administrative body was a Grand Council, presided over by the Grand Chancellor, who was assisted by a Treasurer General. In the beginning each person admitted to the Legion of Honour had to swear "on his honour, to devote himself to serving the Republic." In 1804, after Napoleon had become Emperor, the last word was replaced by "welfare of the Empire."

Napoleon bestowed the Legion of Honour for the first time on July 15, 1804 in a magnificent military and religious ceremony. Along the first to be honoured were eighteen marshals, five cardinals and a number of scholars, scientists, writers and composers. By 1812, 1,400 civilians had been decorated.

Previous