Poland – Order of Military Virtue

The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: “For Military Virtue”, Polish: Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland’s highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King Stanislaus II Augustus and is the oldest military decoration in the world still in use.

Since 1989 there have been no new awards of the Virtuti Militari, and a new act of parliament introduced a rule setting the final deadline for awards at “no later than five years after the cessation of hostilities.” In wartime, the President of the Republic of Poland could award the OWVM for heroism in battle

Virtuti Militari 5th Class
Lieutenant-General Henry Duncan Graham Crerar CB DSO
Lieutenant-General Guy Granville Simonds CB DSO
Captain Pierre Sevigny