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Légion d'Honneur

Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:50 pm
by Hobbes
I must say while doing all this research for events in La Grande Guerre one or two things have taken me by surprise. Have any of you heard of the War of the Rif? Or Wassmuss? (If you are French, Spanish or German you probably have).

Given the love/hate relationship between the English and the French it almost brought a tear to my eye to find that the French awarded Lawrence of Arabia the Légion d'Honneur. I had a look on the internet to find out how high the honour was only to find that Clint Eastwood also has one along with Céline Dion and Vladimir Putin.

My eyes have dried.
Chris

Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:59 pm
by Pocus
In a not so distant time, it was an award only given to truly heroic feats. See who had it at the time of Lawrence of Arabia, to get more accurate examples.

Nowadays, it is almost given to everybody and his cat, alas.

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:47 am
by Comtedemeighan
I've heard of the Rif war before I think they mentioned it in Savage war of peace by Alistair Horne..

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:55 am
by Le Ricain
And I have heard of Wilhelm Wassmuss before. He was the German 'Lawrence of Persia'. In one of those fact is stranger than fiction moments Wassmuss was unwittingly involved in the Zimmerman Telegram affair. Will this be an event in the game?

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:54 am
by Hobbes
Wassmuss and the Telegram are in the game as seperate events.
He leaked a few codes I think.

Cheers, Chris

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 3:06 pm
by Adlertag
Even at start, the Legion d'Honneur was created to reward both civilians and soldiers.
The 4 ranks also help to distinguish between truly heroic or noble behaviour and a more "common" one (such as singing high for Celine Dion :niark: ).

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 3:22 pm
by Hobbes
Adlertag wrote:Even at start, the Legion d'Honneur was created to reward both civilians and soldiers.
The 4 ranks also help to distinguish between truly heroic or noble behaviour and a more "common" one (such as singing high for Celine Dion :niark: ).


Did Lawrence get a higher rank than Céline?

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 4:56 pm
by Korrigan
Pocus wrote:Nowadays, it is almost given to everybody and his cat, alas.


Hear, hear...

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:46 pm
by Adlertag
Hobbes wrote:Did Lawrence get a higher rank than Céline?


Seems Lawrence was Knight (1st rank), same as C.Dion :(

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:48 pm
by Jojo le Gouffy
Comme quoi, il est préférable d'être une chanteuse.
On prend moins de risques :nuts:

Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:37 pm
by Hobbes
Adlertag wrote:Seems Lawrence was Knight (1st rank), same as C.Dion :(


That's a shame. It should be quite an honour to get an award from an old time enemy like the French. But as Pocus mentioned it probably meant more at the time.

Chris

Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:35 am
by Adlertag
Other Great People from UK owning Legion d'Honneur :

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and the late Lord Mountbatten (Grand Cross).
Sir Laurence Olivier (Officer).

Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:49 am
by arsan
Adlertag wrote:Seems Lawrence was Knight (1st rank), same as C.Dion :(

:blink: :mdr:
Well i hope at least Clint got 1st Rank also :thumbsup:
As a Spaniard i've heard about the Rif war of course.
Wassmuss?? Nope! :bonk:
CHeers