André G.

He was awarded in the 90s (I don't remember exactly of the year . I didn't know there are variations for this award, the dark blue enamel is very nice A picture of an french officer (here, my father) with this decoration, Sometimes, the Ordre du Mérite National is nicknamed by the army's officers Ordre du Mérite Agricole because this award is often give without regard on the quality of the service of the officer, just for long service (exactly as the Légion d'Honneur for the high ranked officer), it is a few different for the soldat and the NCO's because the attribution is not automatic. It is not considered as a prestigious medal. For an part of the soliders, only the Médaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre are well considered.

Hello, I have searched and it is really the insignia of the french unit F-554, it was a air force unit created in 1917 and based in Morrocco. This is not a cap's insignia as I thinked in a first time ( I understand now why I found the fabrication was strange for an cap'sinsignia) but probably an chest's insignia. You can find different fabrications of your badge, http://www.leberetvert.com/product_info.php?products_id=1124&page=3 http://www.leberetvert.com/product_info.php?products_id=1124&page=3 I can't say if it is an original, sometimes, for the collectors, the makers make reproductions of military badge.

Hello, it is interesting, an unofficial badge? I will ask the question on french fora, maybe they will have a definitive response. I have make some period as "soldat de réserve" and the fabrication of the insignia is very strange.

Hello Yankee, congratulation for your very nice medal, Tuillier was "sous-lieutenant" (junior lieutenant in english? it is the rank before lieutenant and capitaine in the french army) in the "72e régiment d'infanterie de ligne" (72th line regiment infantry) here you will can find a topic on the 72e régiment d'infanterie de ligne http://fr.wikipedia....nterie_de_ligne the 72nd lost 25 officers and 626 NCOs and soldiers during the campaign of Italia in 1859. The 72e was in Algerie between 1854 and 1859, after, he came in Italia in 1859 to participate at the battle of Solferino. The soldiers of the 72e come from Picardie (a nice country of France ), A 72e régiment d'infanterie de marine exist also, but it is not the same unit (naval infantry) bye, bonne soirée, André PS: a short history of the french infantry regiments, http://www.military-photos.com/histori5.htm (sorry it is in french)

Hello, a very interessant list for the collectors of french insignia, http://dlezin.free.fr/pages_du_site/Essai_recensement_fabricants_insignes.htm good reading ;)

Hello The Order of National Merit was created in 1963 by the general De Gaulle to replace the differents merit national orders existing (Order Nationale du Mérite Militaire, Ordre National du Mérite Agricole ... etc. ). The goal was give more value to the Légion d'Honneur in creating an intermediate order, here is an Order of National Merit Knight's class (it is the medal of my father): bye :lol:

I ashamed I am so sorry for my mistake. an interessant link, http://www.medailles1914-1918.fr/france-medaillew.html I don't the signification of CL (or LC?)

Very nice medals, the "Légion étrangère" is very popular in France. If the soldier was in a cavalery unit of the "Légion Étrangère", it was probably in the prestigious "1er Régiment de Cavalerie Étranger" (1st foreign cavalry regiment) because it is the only cavalry regiment of the Legion. http://1rec.legion-etrangere.com/

Good evening, do you speak of the "RF" on the top of the handle of the sword? If I have well understand your question, it is not a maker but the initials of "République Française", Regards, André

Hello Garth, I think it is a french production of an african insignia's beret. Lyon is a french city but I have never see this kind of insignia on the beret of our (I am French) soldiers. Also, the disc's edges on the french insgnia's beret are more wide. French companies make commonly insignias, uniforms ... etc. for the former french african colonies.

Hello Lorenzo, thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, I don't have the medal bar. This decoration come from the family of my father but I have no information on the recipient (on the side of my mother's family it is the opposite, I have the information on the recipient, but I don't have found the medal) Thank you for your information (and nice picture), I didn't think this medal awarded also the foreigner veterans of the napoleonic's army but it seems logical. I have already seen a certificate for this medal, it is not very scarce (the box is scarce!), but, currently, I don't have picture of this document. The next time I see a certificate, I will post a copy of the document here.

Hello, for my first topic here , I would like present to you the french "médaille de Sainte-Hélène". It is a award of the french IInd Empire (Napoléon III, 1854-1870), established in 1854 by the emperor Napoléon III, it awards the french veterans of the napoleonic's campaigns between 1792 and 1815. This medal was produced in 400 000 copies. Often the ribbon on this decoration is remplaced (by the sellers) by the ribbon of the Croix de guerre (more easy to found than the ribbon of the Ste Helen's medal). PS: Sorry for my poor english I am a young French