Michael Johnson

Some information here: https://www.medailles1914-1918.fr/france-table17.html

Michael

I have been in contact with the SNCF Archives, and hope in due course to have service records for these men.

Michael

What regiment/unit(s) was your father with (from his service book)?

As his son you should be able to request his medal entitlement from the MOD. https://www.gov.uk/apply-medal-or-veterans-badge/apply-for-a-medal#:~:text=How to apply,attorney or a death certificate.

My understanding is that you can use this form to verify what medals he was entitled to - just mark it "entitlement only"

Michael

I'd suggest that the missing bar might be:

Victory Medal; India General Service Medal 1908; General Service Medal 1918; Delhi Durbar 1911 or 1935 Jubilee Medal.

Latest find - a 1946-dated silver to E. COINTO.  Born 1900, he missed the First War, but was serving in the 621st Pioneer Regiment in 1940.  He was a prisoner of war at Stalag XVII until 1945.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/373712193708?hash=item5702fb88ac:g:4B8AAOSwSO5hN2kS

Cost?  Just over $10 Canadian including postage.

What I love about this medal is that it is named.

If it is the second issue 1939-53, then it almost certain that the man had First War service.  The matricules I have looked at mention whether a man had joined the SNCF, as of course that affected his availability for military service.

I have just purchased a 1950 dated vermeil (i.e. 35 years' service) medal to a man who was awarded the Croix  de Guerre with Corps d'Armée level citation, won at Verdun October 24, 1916 with the 401e R.I.

Michael

FRESSE, Donat Alphonse. The site won't let me download, but here's the link to his service record (matricule).  Born 1891, died 1953.

 « Archives départementales des Vosges, cote » ;

https://recherche-archives.vosges.fr/ark:/50275/vta55afcc409e693/daogrp/0/69

It looks like his actual service at the front was between Jan.1 1917 and Nov. 11 1918.  The former date is also the start of the 36th Battery of the 68th Regiment's JMO: https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/arkotheque/visionneuse/visionneuse.php?arko=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#uielem_move=-469%2C-138&uielem_rotate=F&uielem_islocked=0&uielem_zoom=99

It was only used on the early issue.  It is just a railway thing.

Michael

Thanks Marcon1.  I was hoping that someone was manufacturing modern copies.

Michael

My latest acquisition is a "silver" issue named to "A. Honette 1944".

Armand Jules Honette was born in 1896, in Nord department, France.  In the First World War he joined the 16th Chasseurs à Pied, and was severely wounded April 16, 1917 at Berry-au-Bac, in the Chemin des Dames offensive. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre with silver star. He was granted a permanent pension of 60%.  He then joined the French Railway, SNCF.  (Movie fans may remember the 2011 film Hugo, where Sacha Baron Cohen plays the Stationmaster, who has an artificial leg from his war service.)

In 1944 he was working at Douai, Nord.  On August 11, 1944, in support of the invasion, at 3 p.m. squadrons from the R.A.F. and R.A.A.F bombed the Douai railway system.  Over 300 civilians were killed, as other areas of the city were hit, including 85 cheminots.  They are commemorated by a plaque in the Douai railway station. Three weeks later, Douai would be liberated.

I found a newspaper report from 1950, reporting the posthumous award of the Médaille des Cheminots to 20 railway men and women - 8 in "gold" and 12 in "silver".  Honnette is listed for a "gold" medal.  Most of them were killed in the August 11th bombing. There are several possible explanations for the discrepancy in grades of his medal:

a. Honnette had already been awarded the silver medal, so he was given gold

b. The newspaper got it wrong

c. He was issued the wrong medal.

The medal is properly named with period engraving.

Michael

Does anyone know where I can purchase a replacement Locomotive device for the ribbon?

I've got a lovely silver (real) issue dated 1918, and would like to complete it.

Michael

Interesting that it is still a Third Republic issue.  Old stock?

The MS-500 was known as the "Criquet" in French service, and the AAC-1 as the "Toucan".  As they dropped Paras, the Staff said "Toucan play at that game!"

Michael

Dangerous work - those citations were well-earned.

The French also used JU-52 transports in Indochina.

Michael

Cool!  Wonder what he flew?  Lots of American classics flown by the Armée de l'Air and the Aéronavale in both Indochina and Algeria.

Our local aviation museum used to have a B-26 that was bought by a French veteran.  Sadly gone now (both the plane and veteran I suspect)

Chris,

Lovely group.  Is the medal above the Indochine medal Air Force or Para?  Or is relayed to the LdH?

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/173868453274

Soldat Jerome Adonis AUBOIN. Class of 1898 (same as my grandfather).

China 1900-1901, Tonkin 1901-1902

Croix de Guerre 1917. Served at Verdun.

Tempting, but I can't buy everything!

Michael

I only wish I had my great-uncle's uniform, to go with his sword, helmet, and gas mask.

Michael

I believe my great-great-grandfather was an officer in that unit, just after the Napoleonic Wars.

He was awarded the Medal for the National Guard of Paris: http://www.france-phaleristique.com/decoration_fidelite_insigne.htm

Michael

I think the "Crimea Medal" is actually the Colonial Medal.

It is.  He also volunteered for Salonika, and was awarded a Serb medal.

Mes amis at the Forum PAGES 14-18 site identified him: https://forum.pages14-18.com/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=76505&p=561161#p561161.  Louis Paul. 1852-1936.

Michael

Thank you, Hendrik. I have mixed up two different soldiers.  Your reading is correct.

Attached is his full matricule.

After some more research on Caporal Mialaret, I may have to remove the drawing.  The extracts above refer to him as a Fusilier Mitrailleur.  This suggests that he was not using a Hotchkiss machine gun, but the recently introduced Chauchat automatic rifle.  His first Croix de Guerre was for his actions on 25th September 1916.  The regimental history says that the Somme attack at Bouchavesnes was the regiment's first use of this weapon.

Here are the entries from Mialret's matricule and the Journal Officiel for his Medaille Militaire.  The first was awarded October 23, 1916 (Croix de Guerre with 1 bronze and 1 silver stars) and the latter September 21, 1920.

Thank you Hendrik.  I'm considered something of an expert on London Gazette searches, but this is new to me.

Michael

Thank you Hendrik.  I have Roques's certificates as well.

Michael

5 hours ago, Hendrik said:

"Journal Officiel de la République Française"

Hendrik, this is on Legifrance?  How do you structure a search to find an individual soldier?

Merci,

Michael

I was looking at a spreadsheet I have for French Memorial Scrolls, and noticed something I'd missed for probably a decade.  Two of these men died the same day, in the same sector.

Roques        Isidore           155 RI (150 RI accd'g to MDH    Soldat 2e Classe                                    April 16, 1917     Mont Sapigneul, Aisne

I had an artist on the Great War Forum draw me a sketch of Mialaret on Mont Sapin.  The 25th Chasseurs à pied captured Mont Sapin, with heavy casualties. 45 killed, 13 missing, 205 wounded.