Romania - Kingdom of: Commemorative Cross for the 1916-1918 War (Crucea Comemorativă a Războiului 1916-1918), bronze with gilt-wash, lacking ribbon.
Condition: gilt wash now mostly faded, suspension ring now buckled, Very Fine.
The medal was instituted by Royal Decree on 8 July 1918 to be awarded to military and civilians for conspicuous service during the war of 1916-1918. Despite alliances with Germany and Austria-Hungary and a Royal House of German origin, Romania entered World War I on the side of the Triple Entente of Britain, Russia and France, swayed by the promise of Transylvania. German and Austro-Hungarian forces made rapid advances and the Romanian Army suffered devastating defeat. However, the War brought revolution in Russia, defeat for Germany and disintegration for Austria-Hungary and Romania gained not only Transylvania but also Bessarabia and Bukovina. The Carpathian Mountains were the scene of some of the bitterest fighting and most difficult conditions of the war.
