The Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France (french: Médaille commémorative des services volontaires dans la France libre) was a French commemorative war medal established by decree on 4 April 1946 on the 1945 proposition of general

Edgard de Larminat Edgard de Larminat (29 November 1895 – 1 July 1962) was a French general, who fought in two World Wars. He was one of the most important military figures who rejoined the renegade Free French forces under the British in 1940. He was awarded ...

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 (french: Armée française de la Libération or AFL) was the reunified French Army that arose from the merging of the Armée d'Afrique with the prior Free French Forces (french: Forces françaises libres, l ...

who fought the

Axis forces The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...

on most fronts during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. 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 The Battle of Bir Hakeim () took place at Bir Hakeim, an oasis in the Libyan desert south and west of Tobruk, during the Battle of Gazala (26 May – 21 June 1942). The 1st Free French Brigade under Marie-Pierre Kœnig defended the position from ...

. 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 The Free French Naval Forces (french: Forces Navales Françaises Libres, or FNFL) were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Émile Muselier. History In the wake of the Armistice a ...

and

Free French Air Force The Free French Air Forces (french: Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres, 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 Fre ...

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

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

. 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 (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

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 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 (french: Ordre de la Libération) is a French Order which was awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is a very high honour, second only after the ''Légion d’Honneur'' (Legion of Honour ...

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 (french: Croix de Lorraine, link=no), known as the Cross of Anjou in the 16th century, is a heraldic two-barred cross, consisting of a vertical line crossed by two shorter horizontal bars. In most renditions, the horizon ...

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

obverse Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to 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, ...

bore the relief inscription on two lines "FRANCE" on the upper horizontal arm and "LIBRE" on the lower arm ( en, "FREE" "FRANCE"). Its reverse bore the dates "18 JUIN 1940" ( en, "18 JUNE 1940") on the upper arm and "8 MAI 1945" ( en, "8 MAY 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-French general during the Second World War. He became Marshal of France posthumously in 1952, and is known in France simply as le maréchal ...

* The singer and dancer

Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

*General

Marie-Pierre Kœnig Marie Joseph Pierre François Kœnig or Koenig (10 October 1898 – 2 September 1970) was a French general during World War II during which he commanded a Free French Brigade at the Battle of Bir Hakeim in North Africa in 1942. He started a pol ...

*General Gérard Lecointe *General Georges Cabanier *General Pierre Billotte *General

Pierre Garbay Pierre Garbay (4 October 1903 – 17 July 1980) was a French Army General. Biography Of modest origins, after completing high school, Garbay was admitted to Saint-Cyr military academy in 1921 and graduated as a sub-lieutenant in 1924. He then fo ...

*General Renaud de Corta *General Jean Simon *General Henri Amiel *General

Raoul Magrin-Vernerey Raoul Charles Magrin-Vernerey, also known as Ralph Monclar (born 7 February 1892, died 3 June 1964) was a French officer and 2nd Inspector of the Foreign Legion who fought in World War I, World War II within the ranks of the Free French Force ...

*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 a ...

*Wing Commander

Pierre Clostermann Pierre Henri Clostermann (28 February 1921 – 22 March 2006) was a World War II French fighter pilot. During the conflict he achieved 33 air-to-air combat victories, earning the accolade "France's First Fighter" from General Charles de ...

*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 Philippe Ragueneau (19 November 1917 – 22 October 2003) was a French journalist and writer. He was born in Orléans (Loiret) and died in Gordes (Vaucluse). Ragueneau was a resistance and then military fighter during World War II, and friend of ...

*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 French awards 1946 establishments in France

Award statute

Award description

Noteworthy recipients

See also

References

External links