Médaille militaire

The Médaille militaire (English: Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic 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 Légion d'honneur, a civil and military order, and the ordre de la Libération, a Second World War-only order. The Médaille militaire is therefore the most senior entirely military active French decoration.

Médaille militaire
Badge of the Médaille Militaire (obverse)
TypeMilitary decoration
Awarded forValour in combat or long service
Presented by France
EligibilityPrivates, NCOs, Commanders-in-chief generals and admirals
StatusCurrently awarded
EstablishedJanuary 22, 1852
Ribbon of the Military Medal
Precedence
Next (higher)Order of Liberation
Next (lower)National Order of Merit

During World War One, 230,000 médailles were awarded,[1] when 1,400,000 French Army soldiers were killed and 3,000,000 wounded. For comparison, the UK Military Medal was awarded on 115,000 occasions in World War One, when 673,375 British Army soldiers were killed and 1,643,469 wounded.

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, King of Holland.

After the First World War, the Military Medal was also temporarily awarded for wounds received in combat.[2]

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.[2]

  • To members of the military other than commissioned officers (including enlisted ranks, non-commissioned officers and aspirants or Officer Designate).[2]
    • As an award for valour, it is the second highest award ranking immediately after the Légion d'honneur.
    • As an in between medal for enlisted members, NCO and O(D) awarded the Légion d'honneur for "combat actions", nowadays mostly done posthumously.
    • As a service medal, for long-serving NCOs.
  • To generals and admirals 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 Légion d'honneur.[2]

Award description

The Médaille militaire is a silver laurel wreath, 28 mm (1.1 in) in diameter, wrapped around a central gold medallion bearing the left profile of Marianne, effigy of the French Republic, 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" (English: "FRENCH REPUBLIC") 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 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" (English: "VALOUR AND DISCIPLINE") and is surrounded by a blue enamelled ring.[2]

The ribbon of the Médaille militaire is 37 mm (1.5 in) wide, yellow in color with 6 mm-wide (0.24 in) green stripes on each edge. This ribbon was borrowed from the Order of the Iron Crown which it effectively replaced in France.

2nd Empire
1852–1870		 3rd Republic
1870–1940		 4th Republic
1946–1958		 5th Republic
1958–present		 Reverse common
to all variants

Recipients
Field Marshal Montgomery, a recipient of the Médaille militaire
WW1 African American fighter pilot Eugene Bullard, a recipient of the Médaille militaire
Marshal of France, Great Britain and Poland, Ferdinand Foch, a recipient of the Médaille militaire

The Médaille militaire was awarded in some number to British and allied forces (allies of the French Empire) during the Crimean War of 1854-56 and in reasonably large numbers to allied forces in the 1914-18 war. During the Second World War, the Médaille reached its highest numbers of foreign bestowals, most often to members of the British Army as well as to the United States military. The general's médaille was awarded to Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Josip Broz Tito, 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, and to Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope.

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.[2]

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. 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 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:[3]

Recent Recipients for Valour
NameUnitRankDate of effectNotes
Adrien MoulardArmy, Armored CavalryMaster Corporal (brigadier-chef)November 20, 2013WIA
Renan ThierryArmy, Armored CavalryMaster Corporal (brigadier-chef)November 20, 2013WIA
Thomas GuillebautAir ForceMaster Corporal (caporal chef)December 13, 2013KIA
Also knight of the Légion d'honneur
John ConteArmy, Foreign LegionPrivate First Class (soldat de première classe)April 29, 2014[6]WIA
Geraldino HoareaeuArmy, Foreign LegionPrivate First Class (soldat de première classe)April 29, 2014[6]WIA
Marcel KalafutArmy, Foreign LegionStaff Sergeant (sergent-chef)May 12, 2014KIA
Also knight of the Légion d'honneur
Dejvid NikolicArmy, Foreign LegionMaster Warrant Officer (adjudant-chef)July 17, 2014WIA
Nikolic later died from his wounds and was created knight of the Légion d'honneur
Antoine Le QuinioArmy, Troupes de MarineCorporal (caporal)July 19, 2014KIA
Also knight of the Légion d'honneur
Nicolas VokaerArmy, Troupes de MarineCorporal (caporal)July 19, 2014KIA
Also knight of the Légion d'honneur
Teiva Li HipArmy, Troupes de MarineCorporal (brigadier)July 28, 2014WIA
Alex TiteArmy, Troupes de MarineMaster Corporal 1st class (caporal-chef de première classe)July 28, 2014WIA
Mickaël GaleranArmy, ArtilleryMaster Corporal (brigadier-chef)October 2, 2014WIA
Thomas DupuyAir ForceWarrant Officer (adjudant)November 3, 2014KIA
Also knight of the Légion d'honneur
Samir BajjaArmed Forces Fuel ServiceWarrant Officer (agent technique en chef)December 3, 2014[7]KIA
Also knight of the Légion d'honneur
François FernandezArmy, Signal CorpsWarrant Officer (adjudant)December 5, 2014[8]WIA
Rémy BoulléAir ForceMaster Corporal (caporal-chef)January 16, 2015[9]WIA
Ludovic SaillyAir ForceWarrant Officer (adjudant)January 30, 2015[10]WIA
Damien LegrandAir ForceStaff Sergeant (sergent-chef)January 30, 2015[10]WIA
Mathieu PauletAir ForceStaff Sergeant (sergent-chef)January 30, 2015[10]WIA
Franck PoirotAir ForceMaster Corporal (caporal-chef)January 30, 2015[10]WIA
Yann PolletArmy, Corps of EngineersStaff Sergeant (sergent-chef)March 13, 2015[11]WIA
Aurélie SalelArmy, Corps of EngineersSergeant (sergent)March 18, 2015[12]WIA
Later died from her wounds and made Knight of the Légion d'honneur[13]
Florian DumontArmy, Corps of EngineersMaster Corporal (caporal-chef)May 4, 2015[14]WIA
Later died from his wounds and made Knight of the Légion d'honneur[15]
Nicolas CaronArmyStaff Sergeant (sergent-chef)October 16, 2015[16]WIA

See also

Notes
  1. Also awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor, the British Distinguished Conduct Medal, and the Croix de guerre for bravery displayed in Hamel, France.

References
  1. historique de la société d'entraide des médaillés militaires (in French)
  2. Battini, Jean; Zaniewicki, Witold (2003). Guide pratique des décorations françaises actuelles (in French). Paris: LAVAUZELLE. pp. 51–58. ISBN 2-7025-1030-2.
  3. Category:Recipients of the Médaille Militaire
  4. "Bluethenthal, Arthur "Bluey"". Jewsinsports.org. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  5. Joseph Siegman (2000). Jewish sports legends: the International Jewish Hall of Fame. Brassey's. ISBN 1-57488-284-8. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  6. Décret du 8 février 2016 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  7. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  8. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  9. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  10. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  11. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  12. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  13. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant nomination
  14. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
  15. Décret du 14 septembre 2015 portant nomination
  16. Décret du 8 février 2016 portant concession de la Médaille militaire
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