The Escapees’ Medal

• Time Period: The Great War
• Institution: 20 August 1926
• Country: France

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.