Itakdalej, nice looking document – and rare!
Yes, the award did exist – formally called the “The Cross of Bravery of the Former Volunteers”. Established by General Stanisław Bułak-Bałachowicz for awarding to all of the members of his volunteer army for their combat against the Red Army in between 1917 and 1920. He called the recipients “The Knights of Death”. There were essentially two grades, the standard issue on a ribbon, and the higher grade, the “Star of the Knights of Death” awarded for exceptional meritorious service. This was not an officially recognized national decoration. Not surprisingly, these have been widely copied over the years.
First up I'll post the standard cross and award document. The cross was produced by various makers. Two types of award documents and thre cross types, one by Krupski i Matulewicz marked "KiM".
Regards,
Tony
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