France Badge - Bataillon fran?ais de l'ONU

[kimj]

I just got this badge and would like to know more about it. What I do is that it is a badge for the Bataillon fran?ais in the Korean War. But other than that .... How old, who got it, did they buy it or were awarded. Many questions. Does anybody have any answers?

/Kim

[Bison]

You may find some pieces of informations written in English Here

and Here

Or Here in French, with some interesting pics and illustrations.

[Bison]

I can add that this badge was regularly worn on the beret.

Here is Colonel Monclar, commanding officer of the Battalion.

I know that here has been a lot of badges manufactured by different companies like Drago or Arthus-Bertrand. Yours is wearing the number 312. It could be a badge of a Veteran.

That's all I know.

May be a specialist would be kind enough to go deeper into details?

[kimj]

Thank you Bison!

I have seen some variations of the badge on ebay.fr. But I have no clue what is old, new or even fake. I find it even more interesting with the (serial?) number. Perhaps there's a list somewhere to match with a name.... Not holding my breath for that to happen...

/Kim

[Bison]

Hello Kim,

The 'Bataillon de Cor?e' was created in 1950. Then it was sent in Corea within the 2nd US Inf DIV, 23rd Rgt.

3421 French soldiers participated to the Corean war, 287 were killed in action.

Then, it was sent in Indochina from 1953 to 1954. Immediatly after it was commited in Algeria from 1955 to 1962. In 1960 it became the 156th R?giment d'Infanterie.

It has been disbanded in 1962.

Note that Major Jules Jean-Louis, doctor in the battalion, KIA during the battle of Jang Nam Ri, has a statue in South Corea because he rescued a lot of Corean soldiers.

Therefore, this unit existed during 12 years and we can assume that a lot of insignias were manufactured.

You have a great job in front of you to find the owner corresponding to the number engraved.

Regards

Bison

Edited October 19, 2008 by Bison

[Francois]

Thank you Bison, you are so correcte !!

Bataillon Coree, I knew some non-commisioner Officers in the 70 who had tons of decorations when they came back from Korea...

Edited January 13, 2009 by Francois