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The Dardanelles campaign medal (french: "Médaille commémorative des Dardanelles") was a French military medal bestowed for participation in the
Battle of the Dardanelles, also known as the
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
campaign against the
Central Powers
The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...
by the
Corps expéditionnaire d'Orient
The Corps Expeditionnaire d'Orient (Oriental Expeditionary Force) (CEO) was a French Expeditionary Force raised for service during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I. The corps initially consisted of a single infantry division, but later grew ...
supported by the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
and
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916.
Award history
First proposed as a new clasp on the
Colonial Medal
The Colonial Medal (french: "Médaille Coloniale") was a French decoration created by the "loi de finances" of 26 July 1893 (article 75) to reward "military services in the colonies, resulting from participation in military operations, in a colon ...
, and then as a distinct medal in June 1917, it is finally and only on 15 June 1926
that this award will be officially established. The creation of the
"1914-1918 war commemorative medal" (french: Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1914–1918) in 1920 and of the 1914-1918
"Interallied Victory Medal" (french: Médaille Interalliée de la Victoire 1914–1918) in 1922 will have placed enough pressure on the French Government to concede, even against the will of its defence minister, the need for official recognition of service in this theatre of operations.
The new medal is officially called the "Orient and Dardanelles campaign medal" (french: "Médaille Commémorative d'Orient et des Dardanelles"), the intent being for a single medal for both campaigns albeit with different ribbons, but it is actually produced with different reverse inscriptions for the two fronts "ORIENT" or "DARDANELLES" and will only bear the "DARDANELLES" designation when bestowed for that front.
Award statute
The Dardanelles campaign medal is awarded to military and civilian personnel embarked prior to 9 January 1916 for service with the French Dardanelles Expeditionary Corps; to French personnel having served in the headquarters staff of the commandant of the Allied Eastern Army; to French sailors having participated in the Dardanelles Expedition.
No minimum time of service is mentioned in the award statute.
Award description
The Dardanelles campaign medal is a 30mm in diameter circular medal struck from bronze. The
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, ''o ...
bears the relief image of the "warrior republic" in the form of the left profile of a helmeted woman's bust, the helmet being adorned by a crown of oak leaves. On either side, the relief inscription along the circumference "FRENCH REPUBLIC" (french: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE).
The reverse, representing both the army and navy, bears the relief image of an infantry rifle crossed with a naval anchor below two military banners and lances surmounted by the relief inscription "DARDANELLES". On some variants, the relief inscription "HONNEUR ET PATRIE 1915 1918" (HONOUR AND COUNTRY 1915 1918) can be found on one of the banners, other variants lack the anchor.
The medal hangs from a ribbon through a ring passing through the medal's suspension loop. The ring is adorned by a 24mm in diameter bronze laurel wreath and half crescent. The silk
moiré ribbon is 37mm wide and is white with four equidistant 3mm wide green stripes beginning 3mm from the edges.
A gilt clasp with oriental ornamentation bearing the inscription "DARDANELLES" is sometimes worn on the ribbon, it is a privately purchased item and completely unofficial.
Notable recipients (partial list)
* General
Henri Gouraud
* General
Albert d'Amade
* Admiral Charles Perzo
* Master gunner Louis Blasi
* Lieutenant Gabriel de Champeaux de La Boulaye
* Doctor Jean Clunet
* Admiral of the Fleet
François Darlan
Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan (7 August 1881 – 24 December 1942) was a French admiral and political figure. Born in Nérac, Darlan graduated from the ''École navale'' in 1902 and quickly advanced through the ranks following his service d ...
* Lieutenant
Jean Giraudoux
Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (; 29 October 1882 – 31 January 1944) was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II.
His work ...
See also
*
Ribbons of the French military and civil awards This is a list of the ribbons of the French military and civil awards.
French national orders
French ministerial orders
French military decorations
Medals of Honor
French commemorative awards
Other awards
Order of precedence
Official ...
*
Orient campaign medal: WWI French campaign medal for the Macedonian front
*
Marne Medal: WWI French campaign medal for the First and Second Battles of the Marne
*
1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal: WWI French victory medal
References
Sources
* http://www.france-phaleristique.com/accueil.htm
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dardanelles campaign medal
Civil awards and decorations of France
Military awards and decorations of France
Awards established in 1926
1926 establishments in France
French campaign medals
Gallipoli campaign
France–Ottoman Empire relations
Military awards and decorations of World War I