WW1 Propaganda Iron Cross
Physical Description - whole: 44mm square cross pattée, crudely cast in iron in the form of a German Iron Cross, with a small suspension ring at the tip of the upper vertical arm. obverse design: at the centre of the cross an embossed initial 'W', above which is a small Latin cross. At the tips of arms, names of cities despoiled by the Germans during their 1914 western offensive. obverse text: 'DINANT' (upper vertical arm) & 'GHENT' (right horizontal arm) & '1914' (lower vertical arm) & 'ANTWERP' (left horizontal arm) reverse text: 'LOUVAIN' (upper vertical arm) & 'AMIENS' (malformed, right horizontal arm) & '1914' (lower vertical arm) & 'RHEIMS' (left horizontal arm)
These are the names of 6 towns/cities in France & Belgium where in the eyes of the allies, the German army had committed atrocities, the massacre at Dinant, burning of the library at Louvain, the sacking of Antwerp, Ghent, Rheims & Amiens.
A British First World War anti-German propaganda medal exploiting the destruction of Belgian and French cities on or near the Western Front by the German Army between August and October 1914. These "spoof" Iron Crosses were made in Britain and were sold to raise funds for the war effort.
The following local people aquired a Propaganda Iron Cross.
- Harvey
- Albert William b. 1884, d. 1973William Horace b. 1892, d. 1918
