Awards of
World War IIThe Most Venerable Order of the Bath is one of the oldest awards in Great Britain, a knightly award for those whose actions have deserved special honor.
Materials
Gold, silver.
Awarded to
Service personnel of the United Kingdom, as well as other armies of the Allied countries.
Reasons for the award
For actions deserving special honor and reward.
During World War II, the Order of the Bath was awarded to the commander of the Allied forces, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Marshal of the USSR, Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (Knights Grand Cross), Marshals of the USSR Ivan Stepanovich Konev and Konstantin Konstantinovich Rokossovsky (awarded the Knight Commander degree).
The award was established on May 18, 1725, by King George I of Great Britain as a British order of chivalry. The head of the order is the reigning British monarch (Grand Master) or Grand Master, His Majesty the Prince of Wales, who serves three classes of knights: Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commanders, and Knights of the Order. Foreign citizens may be accepted only as honorary members of the Order, which does not entail knighthood or the right to address them as "Sir."
The motto of the Order is "Three are One," which refers both to the Holy Trinity and to the unity of England, Ireland, and Scotland.
The Knight's Star of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath is an eight-pointed star with stylized rays, worn on the left chest. In the center is a circle with three crowns, surrounded by the inscription "Three are One," entwined with laurel branches. The branches at the bottom are fastened with a ribbon bearing the inscription "Ich dien" (I serve).
The Commander's Cross of the Order of the Bath is distinguished by the cross itself, made in the form of a Maltese cross with spheres at the ends of the arms, and covered in white enamel. Between the arms of the cross are four gold lions. It is worn on a neck ribbon.
The Order's badge is an oval containing three crowns. Between the crowns is a scepter with a burdock and a rose. Around the rim of the badge is the inscription—the Order's motto, "Tria juncta in uno." At the top is a ring through which it is attached to a scarlet ribbon, on which the Order of the Bath badge is worn over the shoulder.