Veteran

You are right. This is the first type. It is awarded to professionnal and volonteer civilian firefighters. And therefore neither to the Paris Brigade (who have military status) nor the Marseilles Naval Brigade. The "special services" medal now has a distinctive ribbon and slightly different design. Regards Veteran

Thanks, Chris. A great story.

Linasl The badge you show is rather spectacular....but the dealer was wise not to stick his neck out. This piece looks like something that might be related to the Order of the Holy Ghost, which was the premier French Royal order of chivalry from Henri III in the late 1500s and 1830. Unfortunately, the genuine badges and stars of that order were quite different from what you have. I sincerely hope someone has a more constructive opinion to give. Best regards Veteran

Hi Chris Interesting booklet; One ca imagine the content. But such reactions in Germany (and other countries such as Switzerland) are absolutely understandable. Don't forget our motto "Legio Patria nostra". A legionnaire serving under contract in the French forces can be considered by his countrymen who feel strongly about their national roots as a renagate. In fact, no legionnaire is ever required to reject or fight his native country (if he chooses to mention it). But if you and I know that, it is not necessarily general knowledge. I would rather consider such a booklet as anti-French propaganda, also quite understandable in the first half of the XXth century. Salut l'ancien Veteran

Hello all A D.S.C. recently turned up with a number engraved on the reverse. This being the first instance of this I have come across, I would greatly appreciate as much information as possible. Questions are ; Have all officially awarded DSCs been numbered? If not, at what times did this occur and when did it cease ? Were DSCs ever fully named on the reverse ? How could one find the names and particulars of the recipient of a known numbered DSC (this cross having been found in France, it could have been awarded to a Frenchman during the WW1). Every scrap of information will be grafefully received Veteran

This medal was first meant to be given to people who, mostly in countries other than France, had actively supported the French side during the Great War. It was also, rather sparingly, awarded to Frenchmen/women who had been very active during the war and for whom no specific award was available. Issued un-named, it was often privately engraved in the UK, generally by their owners. It was not meant to be, but that was quite all right. The very low cost of these awards comes from the fact that most French awards are bought at the awardee's expense, the Government issuing a certificate or publishing a announcement of the award. The French Mint has a duty to make them available at low cost. In the old days, illegal wear of decorations was quite severely punished. Regards Veteran

Hello Mervin and Paul Thank you very much for this useful information. Strangely, the name PINATEL is typical of southern France.... and for as much as I can remember this medal was picked up in France, possibly the Paris flee-market. Naming on medals is attractive, that's probably why it was bought, probably for a few francs. I could'nt find the 1862 Who's Who and the name Pinatel did not bring anything up on Google for that period. Best regards Paul

This handsome bronze medal is named on its edge to : A. PINATEL 55 mm diameter, 6 mm thickness, 85grs weight. The Queen's portrait is signed W.WYON RA The caption on the reverse " FOR SERVICES" suggests some type of reward. The question is : who would have received such a medal ? And for what sort of services ? The slightest piece of information will be greatly gratefully received. Thank for your kind attention Veteran

Hello everyone Discussing rencently manufactured badges and stars is an interesting topic in its own right. But I just cannot see what this particular one has to do with France. Can you ? Regards to all Veteran

Yes it looks very French indeed. Although it does not connect directly with phaleristics. Il is the "Key" which is the badge of office of the Grand Chambellan (British equiv: Lord Chamberlain) as used at the Court of Napoleon I and of Napoleon III his nevew.. I believe it was worn from a chain or a neck ribbon. Quite avidly collected by a few. If it is an original, probably quite valuable. What are the measurements of this particular piece ? Hope this helps.. Best regards Veteran

In a way, yes. The Foreign Legion has a veteran's home close to the Aubagne HQ calles Puyloubier. Les Anciens grow and nurse there a variety of white, rosé & red wines, which are quite naturally popular with the various Foreign Legioin Regiments messes. The bottles on your first post probably come from Puyloubier. Does that answer the question ? Best regards

Hello Guy Those pictures are a dream ! I sure wish I could produce anything close to that. Congratulations and many thanks for providing us with such wonderful tools. Kind regards Veteran

The broken crosses are occasionnally observed on the Sainte-Helene Medal. Some were certainly broken accidentally, others were possibly removed deliberately. There may have been an explaination to this, but I have never come across anything very convincing. It's up to each of us to decide how they feel about such medals.

This Medal of Honor of the Ministry of Defense is a long service award for civilian employees of the Ministry. This ranges from office workers in the Ministry itself to workers in Defense arsenals. There are three varieties : Ministry of Defense Army (in French Armee de TERRE), Admiralty (MER) and Air Ministry (AIR with a slightly different ribbon). They all are interesting to collect, some being very difficult to find. Veteran

Basically the system is quite simple. But a lot of variety appears in the traditionnal colours which change from one type of regiment or service to an other. Those are known as "couleurs de traditions". Over the last decades further information has been added such as length of services and a variety of special capacities. Lots of people don't understand them, and you just ask... Regards Veteran

Thanks a lot ! In other words, "les Compagnies montées"? I have known a few very old legionnaires in my time who had served with those outfits. I should have knoeswn. All the best Veteran

The thin looped cord is rather an "elève-officier" insignia. This would be a cadet at officer-candidate school who would become an aspirant after graduation. An aspirant becomes a Sous-Lieutenant after 6 months services. Then, and only then, is the candidate considered to be fully an officer. Regards Veteran P.S. Sorry about the very first rank insignia shown, I don't think I can help.

Hi Chris Nice lot you have here; Do you know why the 2nd INFANTRY has a horse-shoe as its symbol ? I have been wondering about that. Best regards Veteran

Very nice set up. Congratulations I am not sure I recognise the last ribbon on the first row (croix du combattant ?) and the last two on the second. He probably would have received the Allied Victory medal if he had a croix de guerre + commemorative for WW1, don't you think ? Bravo !

Hello ralstona This last picture in interesting : it shows an officer wearing his full Legion of honor badge whith everyday service uniform. This was the RULE before WW1 but the ribbons became more the fashion after. The Legion has always been finicky about such details and the tradition may have carried on with them. Happy New Year Veteran

Congratulation for these very remarquable family records. You should be able to put together the awards he earned without too much trouble. Make sure the WW2 Commemorative medal is the dark bronze used for the first strickings and not the current gawdy golden stuff presently sold by the Pairs Mint. I would expect the appropriate clasps to ba available from them. Thank you for sharing this Foreign Legion saga from the olden times. A very Happy New Year to you Veteran N.B. A C.H.R. in the French Army is a "Compagnie Hors-Rang" i.e. the Regimental (or Battallion) Service Company.

I am sorry you have run into this kind of trouble. Will be on the look-out for you Sincerely Veteran

Mervyn Thank you for your useful suggestions. I think I wlll ask the Order of Saint Benedict if they have anything they can communicate about Dom Rivet. What he really did is well described in the original paper found at Kew. As a French citizen, he would have been called up for military service at the age of 20. The fact that he was a cleric (if he was at that age) making no difference. An he was sent to an Engineers Unit (Regiment or Batallion) to serve the normal stretch. Able to read and write, with a good level of education, had he not been a monk he would have been sent to Reserve Officers Training School. But he probably declined to do so and served as a lance-corporal. After military service, he was listed a a reservist for the required number of years, during which time war broke out and he was recalled. In most instances, its was admitted that a cleric could serve as a medic rather than as a combat soldier. That was his status when he was taken a prisonner of war in June 1940 with hundreds of thousands other Frenchmen. His training as a medic brought him to be in that hospital where British soldiers were looked after by a staff of prisoners of war British medical officers. Who must have been very impressed with his personnality and with the services he gave. What could have been theses services ? The original mention tells this : he gave straighforward medical assistance, as a male nurse, to sick British soldiers. But he must have been a tremendous spiritual (one would say psychological to-day) help to those men - aged 20 to 35 - who saw five years of their lives litterally wasted behind barbed wires. There was no material food for Dom Rivet to give, because there was none available. He also spoke German fluently which means he may have been respected by the German guards in charge of keeping the prisonners of war. And that he made himself particularly useful in that capacity. Lives were possibly saved in this way. That must have been absolutely outstanding for an award to be requested for him and indeed given. Other men may have been honored for similar reasons, but I have never heard of one. That was also the reason why I was anxious to find a trace of the award-decision in the Gazette, hoping similar awards would have been recorded at the same time. The award of a B.E.M. reflects haturally his status as a ranker. Had he been an officer, it would have been an order, I suppose. Thank you again for your comments and suggestion. Best regards Veteran

Thank you very much Ralph. You probably have saved me a wild-goose chase. After all, the medal exists and the original document can be found at the National Archives. I just wanted to be as complete as possible, so little can be found about this very interesting recipient. I hope you enjoy a Happy Chrismass Day. Veteran

Thank you for your interesting comments. Up to now there is very little to be found about Dom Rivet. The first step beyond the Kew paper I reported is finding the possible publication of the BEM in the London Gazette, which I am not sufficiently familiar with to do; My question is also : how do you get to the right date in the Gazette? I will be happy to feed this item as information comes in. More soon ? Best regards to all Veteran