Today, H.M. The King has made the formal decision to award the Military Cross of the Order of the Sword – for the first time ever. It is also the first time that any decoration of the Order of the Sword – excluding royalty – is awarded to a woman. The medals will be presented during the Veterans Day celebration on May 29 at the Maritime Museum in Stockholm.

After the end of the Second World War, a committee conducted a thorough review of what awards Sweden would require in the event of war. In the 1952 revision of the statutes of the Royal Orders of Knighthood, the War Cross of the Order of the Sword was introduced to be awarded for bravery in battle in three classes. However, it was never awarded before the 1975 reform of the Swedish orders, which placed the Royal Orders of Knighthood and associated decorations in abeyance for Swedish citizens. From 1995 to 2023, the Armed Forces awarded medals with a ribbon bearing a sword, indicating bravery in combat.

Through the reform of 2023, Swedish citizens can once again be awarded orders. As part of the reform, the War Cross of the Order of the Sword was changed to the Military Cross of the Order of the Sword, to be awarded for bravery in battle during war or warlike situations involving armed conflict.

In both status and form, the Military Cross corresponds to, for example, the Valour Cross in Denmark or the War Cross in Norway.

Simple design?

The insignia of the Military Cross is a simplified version of the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Sword, set atop a horizontal sword. It is worn on the Order of the Swords’s usual ribbon yellow and blue ribbon, and adorned with an upright sword.

While its design may seem modest compared to other insignia, this simplicity is intentional — the decoration is meant to be rapidly manufactured in times of war

Criteria for the Military Cross

The decoration comes in three classes. From the 2023 statutes of the Royal Orders of Knighthood:

1st class, in gold, is awarded for personal bravery in battle under exceptional danger to one’s own life, while also demonstrating extraordinary perseverance and determination in the execution of assigned duties. The award may also be given for exceptionally meritorious leadership of a unit in combat under extremely difficult conditions.

2nd class, in silver, is awarded for personal bravery or resolute and courageous action carried out in combat under danger to one’s own life.

3rd class, in bronze, is awarded for resolute and courageous action carried out in combat.

Recipients of the Military Cross of the Order of the Sword

The five recipients were nominated within the Swedish Armed Forces, and after review by the Supreme Commander’s medal committee, the Supreme Commander submitted a recommendation to the government. The government supported the nominations, and H.M. The King, upon the government’s recommendation, made the formal decision.

Among the recipients are Major Anders Eckerberg and Lieutenant Colonel Liridona Dauti, both recognized for their remarkable conduct during a firefight in Afghanistan in 2011. Eckerberg, as company commander, led his unit under severe conditions with notable personal courage, earning the Military Cross in silver. Dauti’s actions in the same battle were pivotal to enabling Eckerberg to continue his command—she too is awarded the Military Cross in silver. Dauti is allegedly also the first woman to ever receive a decoration of the Order of the Sword, excluding royalty.

Three additional recipients, whose identities remain classified due to the nature of their service, are also being honored: one with the Military Cross in gold and two in silver.

Source: Kungl. Maj:ts Orden