1914–1918 Commemorative war medal (France)

1914–1918 Commemorative war medal (France)
Obverse with clasp ENGAGÉS VOLONTAIRES
Awarded by France
Type	Medal
Awarded for	Service in World War I
Statistics
Established	23 June 1920
Precedence
Next (higher)	Médaille commémorative des batailles de la Marne (1914-1918)
Next (lower)	Médaille commémorative de la bataille de la Somme
Ribbon of the 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal Infobox

Certificate of award for the "Médaille Commémorative de la Grande Guerre" to a corporal in the Algerian Tirailleurs.

General Pierre Émile Berdoulat, a recipient of the 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal

General Charles Théodore Brécard, a recipient of the 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal

The 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal (French: "Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1914–1918") was awarded to soldiers and sailors for service in World War I. It was also awarded to civilians who met certain requirements. Created by Act of June 23, 1920, is awarded to any military member for service between 2 August 1914 and November 11, 1918. It is also given to civilians who served in the same period in the army or the Interior.^[1]

An open contest was held which invited many engravers of the time, and 73 models were presented to the jury. The model of Pierre-Alexandre Morlon was ultimately adopted. The event had a certain impact since L'Illustration, a prestigious magazine, illustrated in an article of January 29, 1921, pictures of the six models selected.^[2]

Award statute

The 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal was awarded to those who served in the following conditions between August 2, 1914, and November 11, 1918:^[1]

All French soldiers and sailors present under arms or on board French warships, and merchant seamen, what would have been the length of their mobilization.
All foreign soldiers and sailors who served under French authority or aboard a French ship, excluding those that were posted there.
Officers and active persons of additional land subdivision railways
Nurses, doctors, pharmacists, managers of French or foreign nationality who served in the French army medical units or on a voluntary basis.
Civil guards, police officers and firefighters of bombed cities, having been officially registered between those dates and to have fulfilled their duties during the bombing.
Police officers of the City of Paris, The Seine, the inspectorate staff of the Paris Police, staff officers of the assets of the granting of Paris and civil guards, all of whom having been militarized by decree of 7, 9, 19 August and 21 September 1914.
French soldiers who are abroad, who have served in the ranks of the French Army, enlisting during the war in the Allied and Associated Armies of France.
Colonial workers employed in the work of national defense in France, provided they have served a period of six months between the dates of eligibility.
People of French or foreign nationality who served in the war zone in the works below designation, accredited to the French high command or under this command:
- Various works, the soldier home, feeding station, etc.;
- Knights of Columbus
- American Red Cross
- Mobile Sanitary Sections of the French Red Cross and foreigners in the French army

Award description

The medal is round with a diameter of 33 mm. It is bronze. On the obverse, is an effigy of a youthful Minerva in profile, wearing the helmet of 1914, representing France. She is crowned with laurels and holding a sword in her left hand. There are bay leaves mixed with oak leaves at the top to join the medal pendant ring that attaches the medal to the ribbon.^[1]

On the reverse is the legend: GRANDE GUERRE 1914-1918, surrounded by the inscription REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE.^[1]

There was originally a clasp "Engagés Volontaires" for volunteer enlistees. It was replaced when the Croix du combattant volontaire 1914-1918 was established in 1935.^[3]

Notable recipients (partial list)

References

1 2 3 4 "Law of the French Republic of 23 June 1920" (in French). France Phaléristique. 2004. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
↑ "Official contest rules of 11 August 1916" (in French). France Phaléristique. 2004. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
↑ "Law of the French Republic of 4 July 1935" (in French). France Phaléristique. 2004. Retrieved 2016-11-26.

Orders, decorations and medals of France

Orders

National	Legion of Honour Order of Liberation National Order of Merit

Ministerial	Ordre des Palmes Académiques Order of Agricultural Merit Ordre du Mérite Maritime Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

Civilian
decorations

Honour medal for courage and devotion
Médaille d'honneur de l'Aéronautique
Honour medal of Foreign Affairs
Médaille d'honneur agricole
Honour medal of railroads
Regional, departmental and municipal honour medal
Honour medal of customs
Médaille d'honneur des Eaux et Forêts
Médaille d'honneur de l'Enseignement du 1er degré
Médaille d'honneur Pénitentiaire
Honour medal for civilian personnel of the defense ministry
Honour medal of the National Police
Honour medal for firefighters
Médaille d'honneur de Sociétés musicales et Chorales
Médaille d'honneur de la protection judiciaire de la jeunesse
Honour medal for work
Médaille d'honneur des Travaux publics
Insignia for wounded civilians
Medal of the French Family
Honour medal for youth, sports and associative engagements
Médaille des Mines
Médaille du Tourisme
Ordre de Tahiti Nui

Military
decorations

Other

Médaille d'honneur du service de santé des armées

Commemorative
medals

19th century	Saint Helena Medal Commemorative medal of the 1859 Italian Campaign Commemorative medal of the 1860 China Expedition Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition Commemorative medal of the 1870–1871 War Tonkin Expedition commemorative medal Dahomey Expedition commemorative medal 1892 Madagascar commemorative medal Colonial Medal

1900–1914	1901 China expedition commemorative medal Morocco commemorative medal (1909)

First World War 1914–1918	1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal Dardanelles campaign medal Orient campaign medal 1914–1918 Commemorative war medal Medal of French Gratitude Médaille de la Fidélité Française Médaille des victimes de l'invasion Medal for civilian prisoners, hostages and prisoners of the 1914-1918 Great War

Interwar Period 1918–1939	Syria-Cilicia commemorative medal

Second World War 1939–1945	Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France 1943-1944 Italian Campaign medal Medal for deportation and internment for acts of resistance Deportation and political internment medal Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1939–1945 Medal of a liberated France Defaulter's medal

Since 1945	United Nations operations in Korea commemorative medal Indochina Campaign commemorative medal Middle East operations commemorative medal (1956) Médaille commémorative des opérations de sécurité et de maintien de l'ordre en Afrique du Nord North Africa medal United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon medal French commemorative medal Medal for the Military Protection of the Territory

Defunct
orders

Ministry orders	Ordre du Mérite combattant Ordre du Mérite militaire Ordre du Mérite civil Ordre du Mérite social Ordre du Mérite du Travail Ordre du Mérite touristique Ordre de l'Économie nationale Ordre du Mérite commercial et industriel Ordre du Mérite artisanal Ordre de la Santé publique Ordre du Mérite postal Ordre du Mérite sportif

Colonial orders	Ordre du Mérite indochinois Ordre du Mérite saharien Ordre de l'Étoile Noire Ordre de l'Étoile d'Anjouan Ordre du Nichan el Anouar Ordre impérial du Dragon d'Annam Ordre royal du Cambodge

No longer awarded.
No longer awarded, no living recipient
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1914–1918 Commemorative war medal (France)

Award statute

Award description

Notable recipients (partial list)

See also

References