France Medaille de la Reconnaissance Francaise

[Bob]

As posted in the wanted section, I'm looking for a bronze class version of this medal to go with the documents awarded to my grandfather and make the set "complete" again.

Apparently he was awarded this for helping a French pilot evade the Germans after he was shot down in southern Netherlands.

Will be posting scans of the doc/letter in a minute.

Couldn't really find much info on this award here on GMIC - any additional insights would be greatly appreciated (e.g. can I have this researched in French archives?).

Thanks,

Bob

[Guest Rick Research]

I have only seen 2 of these medals and they were both named on the reverse, so you'll never be able to make a "set" except for obverse display if they WERE all officially issued named. :(

[Bob]

Document

[Bob]

Letter a few days later...

[Bob]

I have only seen 2 of these medals and they were both named on the reverse, so you'll never be able to make a "set" except for obverse display if they WERE all officially issued named.

oh well, would still like to find one just for visual perspective (and the medal / docs can keep each other company despite having been seperated from their original brothers)

makes you wish people were more careful with their own personal history - half a year ago or so I obtained (after long nagging to my Russian ex-boss to share with me the medals/name of her grandfather from St Petersburg) doc's from the archives in Moscow and shared this with her. Her husband translated, her mother was in tears touched by this info coming available... and there I was telling my ex-boss "no, i don't want your grandfathers medals, please keep them together with the research and give them to your son when he's 18"... after a while she "got it" and went back to dig in old boxes in St Petersburg and found various photographs of him in uniform... now all of it is together and kept safely as a bit of family heritage.

Oh well, I'm getting off course here - anybody know if I can research in French archives my own grandfather? (he's not French by the way)

[Bob]

Will be posting 2 more doc's in a minute:

- 1 given to him July 6th 1949 (signed by de Gaulle (facsimile?))

- 1 given to him June 15th 1974?

[Bob]

[Bob]

[Guest Rick Research]

Oooo, I forget other people aren't as ancient as me-- my grandfather was born in 1894. I thought you meant 1914-18 Reconnaissance Medals.

I have NO idea what 1939-45 ones have on back!

PS I've heard of that F. Mitterand character. :rolleyes:

[Bob]

Oooo, I forget other people aren't as ancient as me-- my grandfather was born in 1894. I thought you meant 1914-18 Reconnaissance Medals.

I have NO idea what 1939-45 ones have on back!

You need a

From some quick googling I've seen a couple of pics without anything special on reverse. Now, just to actually find one for sale!

Any good French dealer site that I can frequent going forward to check up on whether they have one in stock?

[Bob]

PS I've heard of that F. Mitterand character.

Yeah, I understood Francois lived a life full of all the best France had to offer :cheers:

[Hendrik]

Hello Gents,

Here's the WW2 model in bronze :

These medals were awarded unnamed ...

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Bob]

Great - I find "one" on medal-medaille.com but it turns out there's at least 2 types and 2 versions of the second type... things are never easy! :speechless:

[Bob]

Hello Gents,

Here's the WW2 model in bronze :

These medals were awarded unnamed ...

Cheers,

Hendrik

Thanks Hendrik - any significance to the difference with the following one: http://www.medal-medaille.com/product_info...roducts_id=3585

And would the type 1 (not on medal-medailles.com) then be the type awarded for WW1?

Bob

Edited January 4, 2009 by Bob

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch: Yikes! that looks NOTHING like the 1914-18 ones! :cheers:

[Hendrik]

Here's the 1st model :

Also awarded unnamed.

The one on the medal-medaille site is the second model (never heard of there being two types of the second model !) with a palm device that shouldn't be there ...

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Bob]

Thanks Hendrik - that clarifies and narrows it down for me. :cheers:

[Hendrik]

... just looked up the price for the bronze 2nd model type in a 2002 (!) dealer's catalogue : 16 Euros. I'm sure its price hasn't doubled in the meantime !

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Bob]

... just looked up the price for the bronze 2nd model type in a 2002 (!) dealer's catalogue : 16 Euros. I'm sure its price hasn't doubled in the meantime !

Cheers,

Hendrik

Hmmm - some more googling required then. I think I read somewhere that 15000 or so were awarded which would make it not very common I guess.

[Guest Rick Research]

16 Euros for risking a Nazi firing squad and concentration camp for the whole family, if not hostages from the community as well!!!!

Ahhhh, the "retail market!"

The "Pieta" type 1st model is what I've seen-- maybe named beause those recipients were British?

[cartoonman]

My French grandfather was awarded several decorations in The Great War (L?gion d'Honneur, Croix du Geuerre, Croix du Guerre de Belge). Some years ago, my French-Engish uncle and I secured copies of the two Croix de Guerre, which had gone missing. As I recall, we contacted the Interior Ministry, which, with the proper paperwork, sent us the missing medals, without charge if I remember correctly... You might be able to follow that route--- if you are willing to face and deal with the French bureaucracy. Btw: it is not for nothing, that the French do NOT have a word for FUN! lol

---Cartoonman

[Bob]

My French grandfather was awarded several decorations in The Great War (L?gion d'Honneur, Croix du Geuerre, Croix du Guerre de Belge). Some years ago, my French-Engish uncle and I secured copies of the two Croix de Guerre, which had gone missing. As I recall, we contacted the Interior Ministry, which, with the proper paperwork, sent us the missing medals, without charge if I remember correctly... You might be able to follow that route--- if you are willing to face and deal with the French bureaucracy. Btw: it is not for nothing, that the French do NOT have a word for FUN! lol

---Cartoonman

That's the encouragement I needed

Will be jumping behind my computer to write a letter with a request for a re-issue of the award + copies of any documentation they may have in their archives. Am sure, if it even comes to anything, that it'll take a while... but we're patient fellows here at GMIC:) Keeping my fingers crossed. Any update will be posted here of course.

Thanks all for your help.

Bob

[cartoonman]

Great to hear, or, I'm sorry we encouraged you, depending on how it turns out! Every time I go to the French Consulate in DC, for passport renewal, changes to the Carte d'Identit?, etc., I never know who/what I will encounter...

Hey, that's a thought! Are you close to DC, or a city with a French Consulate? You might get help or suggestions if you call. Remember: say very nice things about the French if you call... never hurts, might help!

Cartoonman

That's the encouragement I needed

Will be jumping behind my computer to write a letter with a request for a re-issue of the award + copies of any documentation they may have in their archives. Am sure, if it even comes to anything, that it'll take a while... but we're patient fellows here at GMIC:) Keeping my fingers crossed. Any update will be posted here of course.

Thanks all for your help.

Bob

[Michael Johnson]

Since my mother's family is French, we've had some dealings with bureaucracy. My grandfather died in Canada in 1944, and there is a file in Ottawa under Alien Property, since he left some bequests to his family. There is a story that my mother forwarded some legal papers to a member of her firm serving in France with the Canadian Army to get the necessary signatures.

Another time, one of my father's partners notarized some papers, but the consulate refused to accept them. He then got some ribbon and sealing wax, and they went right through.

[Bob]

I'm well trained in bureaucracy in Belgium... for 2 months (!!!!) I've been trying to get cable TV installed in my house... you'd think they'd be happy to get a paying customer...