The Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France () was a French commemorative war medal established by decree on 4 April 1946 on the 1945 proposition of general Edgard de Larminat to the Minister to the armies. The general proposed the creation of a distinctive award for the members of the

Free French Forces __NOTOC__ The French Liberation Army ( ; AFL) was the reunified French Army that arose from the merging of the Armée d'Afrique with the prior Free French Forces (; FFL) during World War II. The military force of Free France, it participated ...

who fought the

Axis forces The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...

on most fronts during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Beginning with a modest 7,000 men in July 1940, the Free French Forces had grown to approximately 70,000 by June 1942 and were especially active in North Africa, where they particularly distinguished themselves during the Battle of Bir Hakeim. These forces would later form the nucleus of the 1st Free French Division which distinguished itself in the Italian campaign of 1944 under general Koenig and of the 2nd Armoured Division in the liberation of Paris under general Leclerc. Also, part of the whole, the Free French Naval Forces and

Free French Air Force The Free French Air Forces (, FAFL) were the air arm of the Free French Forces in the Second World War, created by Charles de Gaulle in 1940. The designation ceased to exist in 1943 when the Free French Forces merged with General Giraud's force ...

, although limited in numbers and equipment nonetheless took part in most major engagements alongside allied forces including in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. Free French Forces had grown to over half a million by 1944 and numbered well over a million in 1945, they were instrumental in the final liberation of their country and participated in the invasion of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

Award statute

The Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France was awarded to all persons, civilian or military, French or foreign nationals: *having voluntarily contracted in the Free French Forces (including Free French air and naval forces) prior to 1 August 1943 (for soldiers); *having effectively served Free France on the territories controlled by the National Committee in London and in foreign countries prior to 1 August 1943 (for civil servants). The medal was bestowed accompanied by an award certificate and was often accompanied by a scroll signed by General

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

with the following message in French: "Answering the call of France in mortal peril, you rallied to the Free French Forces. You were of those who, in the front ranks, allowed it to win final victory! At the moment where the goal is attained, I want to thank you in friendship, simply, in the name of France! 1 September 1945." Upon application for the award, a committee would examine and confirm or deny membership in the Free French Forces. This committee, presided by a superior staff officer of the Free French Forces, was composed of: *an officer of each of the three services; *a representative of the Merchant Navy; *a representative of the Ministry of the Colonies *a representative of civil services of the former National Committee in London; *a representative of intelligence and action networks affiliated with the former National Committee in London; *a member of the office of the committee of the

Order of Liberation The Order of Liberation (, ) is a French Order which was awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is a worn by recipients only before the ''Légion d’Honneur'' (Legion of Honour). In the official portrait of G ...

Award description

The Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France was struck from silvered bronze in the shape of a

Cross of Lorraine The Cross of Lorraine (), known as the Cross of Anjou in the 16th century, is a heraldry, heraldic two-barred cross, consisting of a vertical line crossed by two shorter horizontal bars. In most renditions, the horizontal bars are "graded" with ...

with variants of 36 mm to 40 mm high (excluding suspension ring) and 32 mm wide. Its

obverse The obverse and reverse are the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''obverse'' ...

bore the relief inscription on two lines "FRANCE" on the upper horizontal arm and "LIBRE" on the lower arm (). Its reverse bore the dates "18 JUIN 1940" () on the upper arm and "8 MAI 1945" () on the lower arm. The medal hung from a dark blue silk moiré ribbon adorned with 2 mm wide red oblique (from low left to high right) stripes separated by 4 mm. The ribbon passed through a rectangular rigid suspension ring struck as an integral part of the cross.

Noteworthy recipients

*General

Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque Philippe François Marie Leclerc de Hauteclocque (22 November 1902 – 28 November 1947) was a Free France, Free-French general during World War II. He became Marshal of France posthumously in 1952, and is known in France simply as or ju ...

* The singer and dancer

Josephine Baker Freda Josephine Baker (; June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975), naturalized as Joséphine Baker, was an American and French dancer, singer, and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in France. She was the first Black woman to s ...

*General Marie-Pierre Kœnig *General Gérard Lecointe *General Georges Cabanier *General Pierre Billotte *General Pierre Garbay *General Renaud de Corta *General Jean Simon *General Henri Amiel *General Raoul Magrin-Vernerey *General Martial Valin *Colonel Fred Moore *Lieutenant colonel Albert Fossey-François *Lieutenant commander Elie Touchaleaume *Commander

Philippe Kieffer Philippe Kieffer (24 October 1899 – 20 November 1962), '' capitaine de frégate'' in the French Navy, was a French officer and political personality, and a hero of the Free French Forces. Life and career Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to ...

*Wing Commander Pierre Clostermann *Major Rudolf Eggs *Captain François de Labouchère *Capitan Rene Joyeuse (1920–2012), FFL/ OSS *Lieutenant Raymond Meyer *Lieutenant René Amiot *Lieutenant Jean-Pierre Berger *Lieutenant Jean-Valentin Brecheisen, French commandos of Africa *Master sergeant Raphaël Onana *Resistance member Pierre Depoid *Journalist Philippe Ragueneau *Politician Marthe Simard

References

External links

Museum of the Legion of Honour
(in French) {{DEFAULTSORT:Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France Military awards and decorations of France Civil awards and decorations of France Awards established in 1946 1946 establishments in France Free French Forces Awards and decorations for military volunteers

Award statute

Award description

Noteworthy recipients

See also

References

External links