France – Third Republic: An attributable pair comprising Legion D’Honneur and Croix De Guerre, reverse dated 1914-1918 with bronze state for a citation at a regiment or brigade level awarded to Lieutenant Lucien Joseph Germain, 311th Regiment D’Infanterie who saw service on both the Western Front and in Italy, being wounded on 4th June 1915 and later being decorated for his ‘remarkable coolness and courage, isolated during a fight against much superior forces, maintained his section in the position despite intense enemy machine gun fire allowing the retreat of other very exposed units. He would also be cited on 21st November 1918 as ‘an officer machine gunner demonstrating in all circumstances the finest military qualities, energetic and very devout many times in difficult circumstances gave his troop the most fine example of courage and spirit of sacrifice, particularly on the banks of the Piav in Picardy and during the operations of September and October 1918.
Pair: France - Third Republic (1871-1946): Order of the Legion d'Honneur, Knight 5th Class, silver, gilt centres, and enamels, a higher quality piece, of circa First World War manufacture. With old slightly faded silk ribbon; Croix de Guerre, reverse dated 1914-18 with one bronze star for a citation at a regiment or brigade level.
Condition: Good Very Fine
Along with metal I.D. tag named to ‘Officier Germain Lucien, 8 Mars 1895 and the reverse ‘Rhone Central 3 Rue Fenelon, Lyon’
Lucien Joseph Germain was born in Lyon on 8th March 1895, and saw serving during the Great War being wounded on 4th June 1915 and would go on to see service with the 311th Regiment D’Infanterie, seeing action at Verdun in June 1916 for which he would later be decorated for:
‘Regimental order no. 311 of April 13, 1918 on June 1, 1916 at Notre Dame de Lorette was deployed to attack the highly organized enemy sections. Was wounded - mentioned in the order of the regiment due May 29, 1919, no.2662 - machine gun section leader of remarkable coolness and courage. isolated during a fight against much superior forces, maintained his section in the position despite intense enemy machine gun fire allowing the retreat of other very exposed units. cited in the order of the regiment of November 21, 1918, no.219 - officer machine gunner demonstrating in all circumstances the finest military qualities; energetic and very devout many times in difficult circumstances gave his troop the most fine example of courage and spirit of sacrifice, particularly on the banks of the Piav in Picardy and during the operations of September and October 1918.’
Later in the war he would see action in the Argonne from January to September 1917, in Italy from November 1917 to March 1918, he would then return to France taking part in the defensive battles on the Somme from March to May 1918, and then in Picardie during September and October 1918,
Surviving the war he would later be appointed Chevalier of the Legion D’Honneur on 16th March 1921.
