The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the

French Republic France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, after the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

, a civil and military order, and the Order of Liberation, a Second World War-only order. The ''Médaille militaire'' is therefore the most senior entirely military active French decoration. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, 230,000 ''médailles'' were awarded,historique de la société d'entraide des médaillés militaires
when 1,400,000 French Army soldiers were killed and 3,000,000 wounded. For comparison, the UK

Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the British Armed Forces, armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, below commissioned o ...

was awarded on 115,000 occasions in World War I, when 673,375 British Army soldiers were killed and 1,643,469 wounded. There were 628 awards to 627 recipients of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the United Kingdom's highest military decoration. The award was first established in 1852 by the first President of the French Republic, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte who may have taken his inspiration from a medal established and awarded by his father,

Louis Bonaparte Louis Bonaparte (born Luigi Buonaparte; 2 September 1778 – 25 July 1846) was a younger brother of Napoleon, Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. He was a monarch in his own right from 1806 to 1810, ruling over the Kingdom of Holland (a French c ...

, King of

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

. After the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the Military Medal was also temporarily awarded for wounds received in combat.

Statute

Like many other French awards, the ''médaille'' can be awarded for different reasons. It can be awarded to foreign nationals serving with or alongside the French armed forces. * To members of the military other than commissioned officers (including

enlisted rank An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States ...

non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted rank, enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a Commission (document), commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority b ...

s and ''

aspirant Aspirant is usually an officer cadet rank used in armies, navies and air forces. In Western Christianity, an aspirant is the first stage in becoming a monastic. Religious use In Western Christianity, the term is also used in reference to rel ...

s'' or

Officer Designate Officer candidate or officer aspirant (OA) is a rank in some militaries of the world that is an appointed position while a person is in training to become an Officer (armed forces), officer. More often than not, an officer candidate was a civilia ...

). ** As an award for valour, it is the second highest award ranking immediately after the

. ** As an ''in between'' medal for enlisted members, NCO and O(D) awarded the Legion of Honour for "combat actions", nowadays mostly done posthumously. ** As a service medal, for long-serving NCOs. * To

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

s and

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

s who have been commanders-in-chief, as a supreme award for leadership. These general officers must already have been awarded the grand cross of the

Award description

The Médaille militaire is a silver laurel wreath, in diameter, wrapped around a central gold medallion bearing the left profile of

Marianne Marianne () has been the national personification of the French Republic since the French Revolution, as a personification of liberty, equality, fraternity and reason, as well as a portrayal of the Goddess of Liberty. Marianne is displayed i ...

, effigy of the

, the original 2nd Empire variant bore the left profile of Emperor Napoleon III. The central gold medallion is surrounded by a blue enamelled ring bearing the gilt inscription "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" () with a small gilt five-pointed star at the bottom for a 4th Republic award, three stars for a 5th Republic variant, the 3rd Republic variant bore the date 1870, the 2nd Empire variant bore the gilt inscription "LOUIS-NAPOLEON" in lieu of "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" and had flowers on both sides of the small star at the bottom. The original variant was topped by a silver imperial eagle with a loop through which the suspension ring passed, all other variants were and are topped by a device composed of a

breastplate A breastplate or chestplate is a device worn over the torso to protect it from injury, as an item of religious significance, or as an item of status. European In medieval weaponry, the breastplate is the front portion of plate armour covering th ...

superimposed over crossed cannons, a naval anchor, sabres, swords and battle axes, to which the suspension ring passes through a loop for attachment to a ribbon. The reverse of the medallion is common to all variants since inception of the award, it bears the relief inscription on three lines "VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE" () and is surrounded by a blue enamelled ring. The ribbon of the Médaille militaire is wide, yellow in color with green stripes on each edge. This ribbon was borrowed from the Order of the Iron Crown which it effectively replaced in France.

Recipients

The Médaille militaire was awarded in some number to British and allied forces (allies of the French Empire) during the Crimean War of 1854–1856 and in reasonably large numbers to allied forces in the 1914–1918 war. During the

Second World War 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 ...

, the ''Médaille'' reached its highest numbers of foreign bestowals, most often to members of the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

as well as to the

United States military The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

. The general's ''médaille'' was awarded to

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

and

Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 unti ...

, as supreme commanders of the UK, US and Yugoslav military forces, but to also effective military leaders, such as General of the Army

Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

, and to Admiral of the Fleet

Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, (7 January 1883 – 12 June 1963) was a British officer of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He was List of milit ...

Unit award

In addition to the individual medal, the Médaille militaire is also authorized as a unit award to those military commands who display the same criteria of bravery as would be required for the individual medal. The ''médaille'' is displayed on the flag of these units. It is one of the rarest unit awards in the French military. This unit award should not be confused with the '' fourragère de la médaille militaire'', which is a cord suspended from the shoulder of a military uniform worn by members of units which had been

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

. A ''fourragère aux couleurs du ruban de la médaille militaire'' (''fourragère'' in the colours of the ribbon of the ''médaille militaire'') is worn by units which had been mentioned four times, a ''fourragère aux couleurs de la

légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

et de la médaille militaire'' (''fourragère'' in the colours of the ribbons of the ''légion d'honneur'' and the ''médaille militaire'') for units mentioned twelve times. Ten American units can wear the ''fourragère de la médaille militaire''.

Notable French and foreign recipients (partial list)

The individuals listed below were recipients of the "Médaille Militaire: * Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle (posthumous) * Private John Alexander VC * Nurse and resistance fighter Berty Albrecht (posthumous) * Marshal of France (1864) François Achille Bazaine * World War 1 pilot Arthur Bluethenthal (posthumous) * World War 1 African American fighter pilot Eugene Jacques Bullard * Sergeant Louis-Ferdinand Céline * Sergeant Eugène Chavant * Yvonne Chollet (posthumous) * Marshal of France, Great Britain and Poland, Ferdinand Foch * Prime Minister Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill * USMC Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph "Dan" Daly * Private Herman Davis * First sergeant Samuel "Sam" Dreben * President Dwight D. Eisenhower * Rene Joyeuse FFL / OSS (Captain) * Corporal François Faber (posthumous) * Colonel René Paul Fonck * Corporal Edward Foster VC * Russian flying ace Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov * Jean Gabin * Police prefect Louis Lépine * General of the Army Douglas MacArthur * Capitaine Georges Felix Madon * World War 2 fighter ace Paul-Joseph de Montgolfier * Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein * Norwegian Crown Prince and Chief of Defence Olav V * Marshal and Prime Minister Alexandros Papagos * Marshal Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain * Corporal Thomas A. Pope * Father of the French Air Force, General Pierre Auguste Roques * President Franklin D. Roosevelt (posthumous) * Master corporal Pierre-Auguste Sarrus * Master corporal Pierre Schoendoerffer * Partisan leader and Prime Minister Josip Broz Tito * Susan Travers -

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (, also known simply as , "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow List of militaries that recruit foreigners, foreign nationals into French service. The Legion was founded in 1831 and today consis ...

* Marthe Cohn * Corporal Clarence Van Allen

Recent Recipients for Valour

Notes

References

External links

France Phaléristique

Médaille Militaire information held by the Grande Chancellerie de la Légion d'honneur
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medaille Militaire Military awards and decorations of France Awards established in 1852 1852 establishments in France Napoleon III