The Fire Cross was a 44mm wide by 54mm high (including ribbon loop) bronze cross quadrate. Except for a 3mm wide plain border, the cross arms were striated, horizontally for the lateral arms and vertically for the vertical arms on both the obverse and reverse. The 30mm wide by 37mm high central rectangle bore on its obverse, 5mm wide vertical laurel branches on either side, at center, the relief image of a deserted battlefield with at the forefront, the relief image of a World War 1 Belgian helmet over a bayonet, farther and on a slight elevation at left, a 75mm howitzer, at upper right, the Sun breaking through clouds. On its reverse, a large laurel branch extending diagonally from bottom left to top right and bisected by the relief inscription on two lines in Latin "SALUS PATRIAE SUPREMA