France Medal Group

[Thierry]

Here a Unit including 27 medals of a veteran of the WWI, WW2 and Wars Colonial.

Recovered in an attic at the time of a removal, I do not know the history of the person has who they belong.

I replaced some ribbons which were damage.

Sorry for my English.

Thierry

Edited September 8, 2007 by Thierry

[Ed_Haynes]

Lovely. Thanks.

A true shame that research on these is so difficult (impossible?).

[François SAEZ]

Here a Unit including 27 medals of a veteran of the WWI, WW2 and Wars Colonial.

Recovered in an attic at the time of a removal, I do not know the history of the person has who they belong.

I replaced some ribbons which were damage.

Sorry for my English.

Thierry

I bet on a pilot / je mise sur un pilote, vu les palmes sur la croix de guerre

[Guest Rick Research]

Career officer? What would these Officer grades of Orders indicate-- a Lieuetnant Colonel or Colonel?

AMAZING number of CdGs!

[François SAEZ]

Career officer? What would these Officer grades of Orders indicate-- a Lieuetnant Colonel or Colonel?

AMAZING number of CdGs!

not for a pilot, Sister Rick, I think to remember: 1 palm = 1 air victory

[François SAEZ]

Career officer? What would these Officer grades of Orders indicate-- a Lieuetnant Colonel or Colonel?

AMAZING number of CdGs!

No doubt Carl !!!!!!!!!!! 2 wars + colonies (probably between the 2 wars), in fact it seems to me that he coud be identifyed but it is not my field

[Guest Rick Research]

OK Babboo-- so then an ex-NCO (MedMil) who was commissioned, an ace, colonial service between the wars-- so a career officer of fairly senior rank.

Possible to find such an unusual person?

[François SAEZ]

OK Babboo-- so then an ex-NCO (MedMil) who was commissioned, an ace, colonial service between the wars-- so a career officer of fairly senior rank.

Possible to find such an unusual person?

Why an ex NCO?

Vade et retro Satanas

[François SAEZ]

OK Babboo-- so then an ex-NCO (MedMil) who was commissioned, an ace, colonial service between the wars-- so a career officer of fairly senior rank.

Possible to find such an unusual person?

Don't play your Bill and post regulations (better copy them in French ) and post pics to illustrate your pan cake logic!!

ps: all the above if the bar is legitimate

[Paul R]

Looks like a US Legion of Merit in there!! He must have held some significant rank to get one of those! This is a once in lifetime find. I wonder if there is a US Legion of Merit role somewhere?

[Guest Rick Research]

MM only for NCOs and generals, hein?

I was thinking that was for WW1... but if NOT... then he was a General?

There appears to be an Officer device on the American LoM, but it is obscured by the Tunisian?/Algerian? red and green Order.

[François SAEZ]

MM only for NCOs and generals, hein?

I was thinking that was for WW1... but if NOT... then he was a General?

There appears to be an Officer device on the American LoM, but it is obscured by the Tunisian?/Algerian? red and green Order.

I envy you, so much to learn ........

[Ed_Haynes]

An interesting group, and interesting thread. Sorry that it has been marred by a strange and ungentlemanly outburst.

[Hendrik]

Hello Thierry & All,

I have a serious problem with believing this to be a "correct" group ... more on that later. For the time being, Thierry, could you inform us on the various ribbon bars that are present. I can read the "MAROC" and "MAROC 1925" on the Colonial Medal but what about the two (or more) on top of those, the bar on the Italy Medal and those (at least 3) on the French WW2 Commemorative Medal ?

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Veteran]

This very unusual group tells a number of things.

This man may have volunteered during WWI (Commemorative 1914-18 woth ENGAGE bar) before or during 1916 (Verdun medal): he therefore was less than 20 years of age, or he would have been called up. He went in as an enlisted man or as an "aspirant".

His WW1 Croix de guerre is unusually heavily loaded. It certainly suggests a flyboy. The number of palms would normally add up to a Medaille Militaire somewhere along, provided he had not yet been commissionned. He might even have become a Chevalier of the Legion of honor (Guynement rose through the ranks to become a Captain and an officer of the Legion of honor in only a few years).

Some of the foreign awards would also fit into an aviator's group : Belgium Crown Order and Croix de guerre, as proper for an NCO to be awarded. The Italian Croce goes the same way; arial support was flown wherever Allies might need help. The Polish cross is a slightly more difficult to lodge, because of the Italian campaign in 1943-44, when the French Expeditionnary Corps fought along with the Polish Corps of Gal Anders.

Then Saint-Cyr after the war, promotion and very active service during the Riff war in Marocco. A number of "intermediate awards" to be added (Black Star of Benin, and the other one). M?daille coloniale + Ouissam Alaouite.

When WW2 comes in, he is about 42 years of age, probably still going strong. The WW2 Commemorative medal bars should be helpful here, as suggested by Hendrik. Possibly taken a prisonner of war and escaped (Escapee medal). Made himself useful with the Resistance in France or North Africa (Resistance medal); was in North Africa in 1943 or early 44 (possibly escaped frem occupied France - Escapee medal). Served in Tunisia either then or between wars (Nitchan Iftikar, subaltern officer's rank in the order).

I would think the US Legion of Merit might have something to do with work at Head-Quaters as a liaison officer, possibly during the campaign in Italy?

One can certainly imagine a variety of carreers from sucb a group. I would rule out he Medaille Militaire to a General Officer which always was awarded as a supreme distinction, the Grand Cross of the Legion of honor having been given prior to that. There would, therefore, not be an officer's badge. But he could have been a Grand Officer, if the breast star of the Legion d'honneur was lost or separated from the group. The whole group would be one to a Lt.Col. or a Colonel. If a General, considering his numerous MIDs, he would have been a Commander .. if he was not a Grand Officer as suggested above.

But all this is pure fantasy, we are telling the storu of Captain Hornblower over again. Whoever he was, he must have been quite a warrior !

Let's see what comes up next. It might be that the group is researcheable, after all. Some detective work !!

Regards

Veteran

[Thierry]

Other pics.

[Thierry]

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[Thierry]

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[Thierry]

...

[Thierry]

Ribbons of the colonial medal, comm?mo 39-45, and Dardanelle were changed but missing for the 2 first or bad condition for the last.

I replaced the clasps on the corresponding medals, I does not know if the order is correct.

The person at which I found these medals, couldn't inform me about her origins (it renovated an old body of farm near of Puy in Velay).

I made research with various associations of ex-serviceman, to know if the unit could be true or to be an assembly. It could not inform me, for some the unit would have belonged to an aviator, others with a l?gionary.

Edited September 9, 2007 by Thierry

[Ulsterman]

Is there by any chance- a name on the back of the legion of merit? These were quite freely awarded in 1945-47 by the US to allies.

[François SAEZ]

It could not inform me, for some the unit would have belonged to an aviator, others with a l?gionary.

Except a pilot, what else can he be with so many palms on the CdG?

[Veteran]

Hello Thierry

The new pictures are most inspiring. But the clasps are just too difficult to read on them. Please list the clasps of the Medaille coloniale and the Comm?morative 1939-45.

The clasp on the WW1 Commemorative is for a wound, not for an engag? volontaire. So my previous story falls through. The clasps to the Coloniale might help. Anyway, he may not have been all that young in WW1, but he certainly served on many fronts, including the Dardanelles (Gallipoli). If he was an aviator, he might have started of in the Navy or in the Army.

More to interpret as the clasps come rolling in. A bient?t

Veteran

[François SAEZ]

Hello Thierry

The new pictures are most inspiring. But the clasps are just too difficult to read on them. Please list the clasps of the Medaille coloniale and the Comm?morative 1939-45.

The clasp on the WW1 Commemorative is for a wound, not for an engag? volontaire. So my previous story falls through. The clasps to the Coloniale might help. Anyway, he may not have been all that young in WW1, but he certainly served on many fronts, including the Dardanelles (Gallipoli). If he was an aviator, he might have started of in the Navy or in the Army.

More to interpret as the clasps come rolling in. A bient?t

Veteran

Analyse logique - merci

[François SAEZ]

Hello Thierry

The new pictures are most inspiring. But the clasps are just too difficult to read on them. Please list the clasps of the Medaille coloniale and the Comm?morative 1939-45.

The clasp on the WW1 Commemorative is for a wound, not for an engag? volontaire. So my previous story falls through. The clasps to the Coloniale might help. Anyway, he may not have been all that young in WW1, but he certainly served on many fronts, including the Dardanelles (Gallipoli). If he was an aviator, he might have started of in the Navy or in the Army.

More to interpret as the clasps come rolling in. A bient?t

Veteran

Can he be a WW1 ace, colonial or embassy "attach?" between the wars with service in WWII?