I would like to share a cased Greek Medal for Outstanding Acts, 1st type from my collection.
The Medal for Outstanding Acts was instituted on November 11, 1940, as a war medal, by law 2646/11-11-1940, which was redefining the whole of war medals. Namely, the single class 1913 Cross of Valour became a 3 class award (Commander, Gold, Silver), the 1940 1st, 2nd and 3rd class War Cross replaced the 1913 one and the Medal for Outstanding Acts was introduced as the lowest grade war medal.
According to the law it was "awarded for outstanding acts, continuous distinguished services, excellent ability in commanding and organizing a unit, acts of self-sacrifice for security and maintainance of legal order, to the ones offering in any way great and valuable services in the interior during the war, to military personnel and civilians of both sexes, Greeks and foreigners, supporting in any way the country's armed forces, to officers and soldiers of allied countries offering great services for the success of the Struggle".
The Medal for Outstanding Acts was a single class award, awarded by Royal Decree, after a hierarchical report of the military unit (or public service for civilians). Being a single class medal, multiple awards were denoted by silver coated crowns on the ribbon, with 3 crowns as the maximum number.
Although the Cross of Valour and War Cross were redesigned, something "strange" happened with the Medal for Outstanding Acts: The newly instituted award was to be the already existing 1916-17 Military Merit Medal 4th class with a "1940" bar attached to the ribbon. The 4 class Military Merit Medal was still being awarded in times of peace.
It is strange that the 1916-17 medal would be chosen, since it was an award instituted by the Venizelist government during WW1, thus lacking any royal symbols, designed by two French soldiers. This would later change with the 2nd type Medal for Outstanding Acts, which depicted the crown and royal monogram, in 1951.
The award's obverse is depicting a greek cross superimposed on two crossed swords, surrounded by laurel leaves. The Phoenix, being reborn by it's ashes was a favourite pattern of the democratic faction and the emblem of the 20s Republic. The words on the cross mean "Defend the fatherland", a quotation taken from the Iliad. The reverse reads "Hellas 1916-1917".
Regards, Giorgos
