France, Republic. An Order Of The Black Star, Grand Cross Set, By Bertrand consisting of a blue enamelled Romanian Cross with clusters of nine gilt rays in eac with original unattached rosette

with original unattached rosette

On month later

troops transport ship which was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland on February 5

silvered zink buttons on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left

and French interests

France, Republic. An Order Of The Black Star, Grand Cross Set, By Bertrand consisting of a blue enamelled Romanian Cross with clusters of nine gilt rays in eac with original unattached rosette(Ordre de l'toile Noire). Instituted on 1 December 1889 at Porto Novo by Toffa, future king of Dahomey (today the Republic of Benin). In silver gilt, a Maltese cross featuring white enamels with blue borders, clusters of three gilt rays in each quadrant, obverse centre presenting a black enamelled star, a mirrored reverse with a large green enamelled laurel suspension, marked on suspension with boars head denoting French manufacture and small silver