Estonia Medal White Cross of the Civil Guard III class(Valgerist Defense League III degree) graduation 1929-1940...

Estonia Medal White Cross of the Civil Guard III class(Valgerist Defense League III degree) graduation 1929-1940. White enamel Latin Maltese cross with loop between the upper arms for ribbon suspension; the face with a centrally-imposed oxidised silver eagle with wings outstretched a sword in its right claw an escutcheon bearing the three blue lions of Estonia in its left an upright gilt sword behind; the reverse with a circular central white enamel medallion bearing the date ‘11 XI 1918’ (11 November 1918); on original ribbon. The Order was established on 19 June 1929 to be awarded to members of the Kaitseliit (Estonian Civil Guard) for distinguished service and on 7 October 1936 the Decorations Act passed by the Riigikogu (Estonian parliament) made it a national award. The Kaitseliit was founded on 11 November 1918 to maintain order in the new state of Estonia and to resist Soviet Russian attempts to subvert newly-won Estonian independence The Order was suppressed after the Soviet occupation of 1940; some 6.000 awards having been made; but reinstated in 1991. We have been told by an Estonian authority that this example is from the period 1929 to 1940. 44x34mm. 15.12g.