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Category: France

The Combatant’s Cross

The Combatant’s Cross (or “Croix du combattant”) is a French decoration that recognizes those who fought in combat for France.

The Combatant’s Cross (or “Croix du combattant”) is a French decoration that recognizes, as its name implies, those who fought in combat for France.

The Poilus (French combat soldiers) of World War I worked toward recognition by the government, of special status to those who had participated in the bitter fighting of 1914-1918 (as opposed to those who served behind the lines). The law of 19 December 1926 created la “carte du combatant”, or combatant’s card, for veterans of 1914-1918, as well as for the veterans of 1870-1871 and colonial wars before the First World War. The decoration was created only three years later by the law of 28 June 1930.

A decree of January 29, 1948 states that the provisions of the 1930 Act relating to the allocation of the combatant’s card and the Combatant’s Cross were applicable to participants of the 1939-1945 war. The law of 18 July 1952 extended the benefit of the award of the Croix du combattant for Indochina and Korea and the law of December 9, 1974 extended the award of the Combatant’s Cross to operations in North Africa between 1 January 1952 and July 2, 1962.

The Cross is awarded in different cases:

– for service with a unit asserted as combattant unit (front-line service) by the Ministry of Defense: ninety days of service or a wound or illness received or contracted during service, or ninety days of detention by the enemy.

– for service with any unit: mention in dispatches for valor, or direct participation in five fire engagements, or a wound in action, or detention by the enemy without application of the Geneva Convention.

The Combatant’s Cross Design

The medal is a 36 mm wide bronze cross pattée with a laurel wreath between the arms 36 mm across.

On the obverse at center, the effigy of the Republic wearing an Adrian’s helmet crowned with laurel leaves surrounded by the relief inscription REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE (FRENCH REPUBLIC).

On the reverse the relief inscription CROIX DU COMBATTANT (COMBATTANT’S CROSS) along the lower circumference framing a vertical sword pointing down, rays protruding horizontally and up from the hilt in a 180° arc.

The Volunteer Combatant’s Cross 1914-1918

The Volunteer combatant’s cross 1914–1918 is a French decoration for those who have volunteered to serve in a unit during World War I.

The Volunteer combatant’s cross 1914–1918 (or “Croix du Combattant Volontaire 1914–1918”) is a French decoration that recognizes those who have volunteered to serve on the front in a combat unit during World War I.

When the 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal (France) was established, it was anticipated that a clasp bearing “ENGAGÉ VOLONTAIRE” (“VOLUNTEER ENLISTEE”) would be worn on its ribbon for those who had freely and voluntarily enlisted in the French Armed Forces for combat service. This clasp was produced, however it was short-lived due to parliament demanding the establishment of a special insignia to distinguish the special merit of the voluntary combatant.

The Act of 4 July 1935 created the Croix du Combattant Volontaire, designated for those who volunteered to serve on the front in a combat unit during the Great War.

The qualifications of the candidates have been reviewed by a panel from 1951, twelve members as follows:

  • Minister of National Defence: Chairman;
  • Secretary of State for War: two members;
  • Secretary of State for the Navy: two members;
  • Secretary of State for Air: two members;
  • Office national des mutilés et combattants: two members;
  • Association d’engagés et de combattants volontaires: three members.

The decree of 10 April 1936 extended the award to the few surviving volunteer firefighters from the War of 1870–1871.

The Volunteer Combatant’s Cross 1914-1918 Design

The cross has four arms in bronze and measures 36 mm wide. It is engraved by Frédéric de Vernon.

On the obverse is a round central medallion with the legend surrounding REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE. Effigy of a helmeted Poilu (World War I infantryman), on a sword drawn vertically on the branches, or of the cross being charged with bay leaves and oak leaves in relief.

On the reverse, inside the central medallion, is a branch of laurel is surrounded by the inscription: COMBATTANT VOLONTAIRE 1914–1918. The cross arms are covered with leaves of laurel and oak forming relief.

A special version was made for the volunteer fighters from the war of 1870–1871 with the dates 1870–1871 on the back replacing those of 1914–1918.

The Escapees’ Medal

The Escapees’ Medal is a military award bestowed to prisoners of war and who successfully escaped internment or died in their attempt.

The Escapees’ Medal (or Médaille des Évadés) is a military award bestowed by the government of France to individuals who were prisoners of war and who successfully escaped internment or died as a result of their escape attempt.

The “Escapees’ Medal” was established by a 1926 law, intended to honor combatants not only of the First World War, but also of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Its statute was later amended to include combatants of the Second World War and later conflicts.

The award criteria for the Franco-Prussian War was established by law on 2 October 1926 and read as follows:

  • To French soldiers serving during the Franco-Prussian War, who successfully escaped their internment in Germany.

The award criteria for the First World War were established by decree on 7 April 1927 and read as follows:

  • To French soldiers serving during the First World War, who were taken prisoner during combat either in Europe or in an external theatre of operations, and who successfully escaped, regardless of the length of their internment;
  • To citizens of Alsace-Lorraine, who, between 2 August 1914 and 1 November 1918, deserted from the German army.
  • To civilians interned in Germany, or living in territories occupied by the enemy, who crossed enemy lines with the intent of making themselves available to the French military authority.

The award criteria for the Second World War were long in coming. A decree of 7 February 1959 allowed for award of the medal, followed by an Order on 20 May 1959 and detailed instructions on 10 July 1959. The medal was bestowed to persons able to prove a successful escape:

  • From a prisoner of war camp;
  • From a place of internment where they were being held for acts related to the resistance;
  • From enemy-held or controlled territory, an escape including the clandestine crossing of a front line or customs checkpoint.

The medal can be awarded to both French citizens and foreign nationals serving in the ranks of the French armed forces. Civilians and members of the military killed, or who have died as a result of wounds received during an escape attempt, are automatically awarded the medal.

The Escapee’s Medal Design

The Escapees’ Medal is a 30 mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze. Its design is from the French engraver A. Dubois.

Its obverse bears the relief left profile bust of Marianne (representing the French Republic) crowned with branches of oak, along the outer circumference, the relief inscription (REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE) “FRENCH REPUBLIC”.

On its reverse, at center, the relief inscription on three rows (MÉDAILLE DES ÉVADÉS) (ESCAPEES’ MEDAL) surrounded by a wreath of oak branches.

The medal is suspended by a ring through the suspension loop to a 36 mm wide green silk moiré ribbon with a 7 mm wide central orange stripe and 2 mm wide longitudinal orange stripes located 2 mm from the ribbon’s outer edges.

The War Cross 1914-1918

The War Cross 1914-1918 (Croix de guerre) is a French military decoration for French and allied soldiers for valorous service during WW1.

The War Cross 1914-1918 (or Croix de guerre 1914–1918) is a French military decoration created to recognize French and allied soldiers who were cited for valorous service during World War I, similar to the British mentioned in dispatches but with multiple degrees equivalent to other nations’ decorations for courage.

Soon after the outbreak of World War I, French military officials felt that a new military award had to be created. At that time, the Citation du jour (“Daily Citation”) already existed to acknowledge soldiers, but it was just a sheet of paper. At the end of 1914, General Boëlle, Commandant in Chief of the French 4th Army Corps, tried to convince the French administration to create a formal military award. Maurice Barrès, the noted writer and parliamentarian for Paris, gave Boëlle support in his efforts.

Every Croix de guerre awarded carries at least one citation for gallantry or courage to a member of any rank of the French military or of an allied army. Ribbon devices indicate the importance or degree of the soldier’s role during the action cited.

The Croix de guerre 1914-1918 was attributed to:

  • French and allied soldiers individually cited for a wartime act of gallantry;
  • Civilians and militarized personnel individually cited for a wartime act of gallantry;
  • Automatically to soldiers and civilians not specifically cited for a Croix de guerre but awarded the Légion d’honneur or Médaille militaire for the highest acts of wartime valour and gazetted in the Official Journal of the French Republic;
  • Collectively, to army units, ships or air squadrons;
  • To cities and villages, martyrs of war, destroyed, ravaged or bombed by the enemy (2952 towns received the Croix de guerre 1914-1918, in this case, always awarded with palm).

The War Cross 1914-1018 Design

The cross was designed by the sculptor Paul-Albert Bartholomé. It is 37 mm wide, Florentine bronze cross pattée, with two crossed swords pointing up between the arms.

The obverse center medallion bears the relief image of the French Republic in the form of the bust of a young woman wearing a Phrygian cap surrounded by the circular relief inscription RÉPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE (FRENCH REPUBLIC). Not knowing how long the war would last, the reverse centre medallion bears the dates 1914–1915, 1914–1916, 1914–1917 and finally 1914–1918.

The cross is suspended by a ring through a suspension loop cast atop the upper cross arm. It hangs from a 37 mm wide green silk moiré ribbon with seven narrow 1,5 mm wide vertical red stripes evenly spaced and two 1 mm red edge stripes.

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The Order of the Dragon of Annam

The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam (Ordre impérial du Dragon d’Annam) was created in 1886 in the ancient Vietnamese city of Huế.

The Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam (or Ordre impérial du Dragon d’Annam) was created on March 14, 1886, in the ancient Vietnamese city of Huế, by Emperor Đồng Khánh of the Imperial House of Annam, upon the “recommendation” of the President of France as a jointly awarded French colonial order.

The Order was designed as a reward for services to the state, the French colonial government, or the emperor.

When French colonial rule over Indochina ended, the Order of the Dragon of Annam was abolished and replaced by the National Order of Vietnam which was later retained and revised by the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The ribbon of the Dragon of Annam was retained for this award, but it was (belatedly) recognized that a colonial order had no place in the new regime as the order was always historically associated with the period of French rule. Even the name of “Annam” in the title of the order was a point of dishonor as the name comes from the old Chinese term for Vietnam, which means “the pacified south”.

In its classes and insignia, the Order was modeled on the French Légion d’honneur and the other French colonial orders:

  • Grand Cordon
  • Grand Officer
  • Commander
  • Officer
  • Knight

The Order of the Dragon of Annam Design

The badge was an eight-pointed star charged with a central medallion of blue bearing the legend “Hoàng đế Đồng Khánh” (‘Emperor Đồng Khánh’; in stylized Chinese characters) with four radiant suns surrounded by a red band, all suspended from an imperial crown surmounted by a green dragon.

The star for Grand Officers and Grand Cross holders was charged with a green dragon holding the same blue medallion as featured on the badge. There were two ribbons, red with gold border stripes for awards by the Emperor and green with gold border stripes for the President’s version.

The Order of Nichan El-Anouar (Order of the Light)

The Order of Nichan El-Anouar (or “Order of the Light”) was established in 1887 as a colonial order of merit of the Tajurah sultanate in French Somaliland.

The order has five degrees:

  • Grand-croix (grand cross)
  • Grand officier (grand officer)
  • Commandeur (commander)
  • Officier (officer)
  • Chevalier (knight)

The Order was deprecated on 3 December 1963 by the Ordre National du Mérite.

The Order of the Star of Anjouan

The Ordre de l’Étoile d’Anjouan (or “Order of the Star of Anjouan”) was a French colonial order of knighthood founded in 1874.

  • Time Period: Pre-WW1
  • Institution: 1 December 1889
  • Country: France

The Ordre de l’Étoile d’Anjouan (or “Order of the Star of Anjouan”) was a French colonial order of knighthood founded in 1874.

It was established in 1874 by sultan Mohamed-Saïd-Omar of the Comoros island of Anjouan, reorganized on 18 June 1892 and authorized and recognized by the French government on 12 September 1896. It was made a French Overseas Order in 1950.

In this case a local order was adopted by the French, although they reorganized and redesigned it. Another Anjouan orde, the Star of Said Ali was not adopted.

The Ordre de l’Étoile d’Anjouan has five classes:

  • Grand-croix
  • Grand-officier
  • Commandeur
  • Officier
  • Chevalier

The Order of the Black Star

The Order of the Black Star (Ordre de l’Étoile Noire) was an order of knighthood established by Toffa, future king of Dahomey, today Benin.

The Order of the Black Star (or “Ordre de l’Étoile Noire”) was an order of knighthood established on 1 December 1889 at Porto-Novo by Toffa, future king of Dahomey (today the Republic of Benin).

Approved and recognized by the French government on 30 July 1894, after the establishment of the new statutes of 30 August 1892, according this distinction to all those who worked to develop French influence on the west coast of Africa.

The order has five classes:

  • Grand-croix (grand cross)
  • Commandeur avec plaque (commander with plaque)
  • Commandeur (commander)
  • Officier (officer)
  • Chevalier (knight)

The order was deprecated by decree on 3 December 1963, and superseded by the Ordre National du Mérite. Extant members of the order are permitted to wear their original decorations.

The Indochinese Order of Merit

The Indochinese Order of Merit (or “Ordre du Mérite indochinois”) was a regional award of France awarded by the Governor-General of Indochina for the local population of French Indochina.

Established April 30, 1900 by Governor-General of French Indochina Paul Doumer the order was to reward the local population of Indo-China for services to agriculture, commerce, industry and art.

This award had no status as an official French colonial award but was a local only award for the population of Laos, Cambodia, Tonkin, Cochin China, and Annam.

Governed by an Order Council, it was divided into three classes with limit on the number of members for each class. The 3rd class, was limited to 500 members. The 2nd Class, was limited to 100 members. The 1st class, was limited to 15 members.

The Indochinese Order of Merit Design

The badge of the order is a ball tipped six-pointed star with concave sides. In the center of the star is a round rimmed medallion. In the center of the medallion is the inscription in Annamese ideographic writing “It is worthy to develop knowledge“.

On the rim is the inscription INDOCHINE FRANCAISE (French Indochina). Attached to the ball of the top most arm of the star are two laurel branches, which act as a ring to attach the star to its ribbon.

The ribbon of the order is yellow Moire silk. The Order was presented in the 1st degree in gold, 2nd degree silver, and third degree bronze.

The Honour Medal for Firefighters

  • Time Period: Pre-WW1
  • Institution: 16 February 1900
  • Country: France

The Honour medal for firefighters (or “Médaille d’honneur des Sapeurs Pompiers”) is a state decoration of France bestowed by the Ministry of the Interior to members of the French Fire Service.

Although possessing a two-century-old firefighting tradition, the French government proved slow in recognizing the service and courage of the men and women who face risk on a daily basis to save lives and property. Not until 1875 was a service certificate established and bestowed for thirty years of service.

The decree of 4 March 1981 saw a new design and ribbon for the Honour medal for firefighters awarded for exceptional service.

The Honour medal for firefighters is bestowed to firefighters:

  • who have always displayed devotion to duty (long service); or,
  • who have particularly distinguished themselves (exceptional service).

The Honour Medal for Firefighters Design

The Honour medal for firefighters bestowed “for long service” is a 30mm in diameter (27mm before 1935) circular medal.

Its obverse bears the effigy of the republic in the form of the relief image of the left profile of a woman wearing a firefighter’s helmet, also visible is her uniform collar bearing the distinctive grenade insignia of the firefighting corps in France. On either side, the relief inscription along the circumference “RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE” (“FRENCH REPUBLIC”).

The medal is struck in silver, silver-gilt and gold. The silver grade award’s ribbon suspension bar is adorned with opposing fire hose nozzles. Each grade above silver is denoted by an increasingly intricate ornamentation on the ribbon suspension bar. 

The reverse of the medal bears at its center, the relief image of a fireman’s helmet partially covering a building on fire above the inscription “HONNEUR AU DEVOUEMENT” (“HONOUR TO DEVOTION”) itself above a blank area reserved for the recipient’s name and year of award. The relief image of flames at the very bottom and on either side of the fire hall. At the top along the medal circumference, the relief semi circular inscription “MINISTÈRE DE L’INTÉRIEUR” (“INTERIOR MINISTRY”).

The current, post-1981 Honour medal for firefighters bestowed “for exceptional services” is a 32mm in diameter circular medal. Its obverse bears the relief image of the left profile of a helmeted male firefighter, above his head, the relief semi circular inscription “MINISTÈRE DE L’INTÉRIEUR” “INTERIOR MINISTRY”) along the medal’s upper circumference. The ribbon suspension bar is adorned with two crossed firemen’s axes resting atop two laurel branches from which flames shoot upwards to just above opposing horizontal fire hose nozzles. The medal is struck in silver or silver-gilt variants. The reverse bears a Phrygian cap with between two axes below the initials “R.F.”.

The medal hangs from a 37mm wide silk moiré ribbon of red on the right edge watering into yellow across its width. The ribbon bears a rosette of the same colours to indicate that it is an award “for exceptional services”.