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French Medals and Decorations, 1789 - 1945


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- transferred from other section, re-edited with new photos

1789 An old medal, which I got in my schooldays, an original medal of the French Revolution. This was apparently worn on a red, white and blue ribbon of specific type, now missing. The ring was missing, now replaced. The medal, of patinated bronze, rhombic in form, depicts broken chains, an open lock and shakles, the edge inscribed: LA LIBERTÉ CONQUISE, 14 JUILLET 1789.
The other side depicts an upright sword piercing a wreath, the Latin edge inscription:

IGNORANT NE DATOS NE QUISQUAM SERVIAT ENSES

Saint Helena Medal awarded in 1851 for all former veterans of Napoleons Grande Armée, during the Presidency of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon III). The medal is of copper coloured bronze and has reverse inscriptions

Campagne de 1792 À 1815 around the edge, and in the centre. On a replaced, correct ribbon, which was identical to the later CdG.

À SES COMPAGNONS DE GLOIRE - SA DÈRNIÈRE PENSÉE - Ste HÉLENE 5 MAI 1821

This was also awarded to former German veterans in his armies.

Combattants of the War of 1870/71, toned bronze medal, averse the usual helmeted "Marianne" bust and inscription Republique Francaise, to the reverse, flags and military trophies, at the base of which the inscription Aux Défenseurs de la Patrie.

Légion d'Honneur in it's lowest class (Ritterkreuz), the last version from 1870-1951, awarded for both world wars. A new version appeared after 1951 without the date inscription. The cross is of enameled silver, both medallions averse and reverse are of Gold and enamels. The averse bears the date 1870. This example, almost mint, obtained from a Hamburg antique shop in the late 1970s.

Médaille Militäire, version 1870-1951, as awarded in both world wars.Silver and silver gilt, was awarded to all ranks. The reverse has the inscription: Some loss of blue enamel to the reverse. VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE.
All on original ribbons, apart from the first medal.

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Four examples of Croix de Guerre 1914 - 1918

1914-1916 with one star for citation

1914-1916 with palm branch

1914-1917 with fouragère and three citations, one large and two small bronze stars

1914-1917 standard version

The first CdG, which I got was the 1917 one purchased by my father in the late 1960s in London. It was my father who sparked off the interest in WW1 and collecting. In the early 1980s I managed to get two more CdG, one with the fouragère and the other 1916 with star in the Paris market of Porte de Clignancourt.

The nice, minty 1916 with palm and the original attachment pins as issued, I bought in the Berlin antiques market in 2003, before leaving Berlin.

And a commemorative medal for the Battle of Verdun, 1916, unworn, in it's original cardboard case. This medal was purchased by my father from an antiques shop in Cambrai in 1967. The owner, a M. Vanlerberghe, was himself, an enthusiastic collector, whom we had discovered mentioned in the book by Brian Cooper, "The Ironclads of Cambrai", published that year. Vanlerberghe had told us that his father was with the French cavalry in WW1, and he himself escaped to England in 1940 to join the RAF as a Free French volunteer. After the invasion he collected some impressive souvenirs and firearms, which he proudly demonstrated to us.

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Three French decorations of the Great War period.

- Médaille de la Victoire, 1914-18

- Médaille de la Grande Guerre, 1914-18

- Croix du Combattant, 1914-18, instituted in the late 1920s for former combattants

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Three French decorations from the Second World War:

The Croix de Guerre of 1939, on replaced correct ribbon

Corps Expeditionaire Francais d'Italie, 1943

Medaille de la Résistance, 1940-44

The Croix de Guerre was issued for 1939 and 1939-1940, the latter supposedly only by the Vichy Régime and worn on a different ribbon. The Vichy version was prohibited after the war.

The second medal was awarded to the Free French troops of the CEF, who landed with the Allies in Italy in 1943.  Aluminium extra patinated.

The Résistance Medal was awarded to those who "stayed behind" during the German occupation and took part in acts of resistance against the German Forces. The inscriptions are in Latin, including the date of 18.6.1940 on the averse, together with a symbolic Cross of Lorraine. The reverse has the Latin inscription "Patria non Imemoriam" - La Patrie n'oublie pas - or - the Fatherland does not forget.

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  • 4 months later...

Here are pictures of the Verdun medal types that I have in my collection (I am missing the very rare Steiner and Dutemps types)

Augier

Rene

'Anonymous'

Vernier

 

 

344 obverse.JPG

353 obverse.JPG

328 obverse.JPG

336 obverse.JPG

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and three others

Rasumny

Revillon

Prudomme

 

385 obverse.JPG

497 obverse.JPG

 

332 obverse.JPG

Edited by Sumserbrown
wrong photo added for Prudomme medal
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