France Vichy Pair

[PKeating]

Although there was no documentation with them, as is so often the case with French medals, these two medals came from the same source and there is no reason not to assume that they were probably awarded to the same man. The nice thing about this M?daille du M?rite de l?Afrique Noire, which is an extremely scarce item, is that it was clearly worn by its recipient, who cut off a little piece of the riband to make himself a ribbon bar.

Instituted by the Vichy government on 26.6.1941, this rather nice-looking decoration was awarded to white and black soldiers alike for bravery in combat against British and Gaullist forces in French Equatorial Africa, Madagascar and Somalialand. The Gaullist Comit? de Lib?ration Nationale in London outlawed the Medal of Merit of Black Africa along with other Vichy decorations and service medals on 7.1.1944. Struck in bronze and appropriately hallmarked on its rim, the medal was also awarded for distinguished or loyal service.

The Colonial Medal appears to be a non-French striking and is as-issued, with the C?TE DES SOMALIS bar instituted by the Vichy government on 13.9.1941 for a period of six months of unblemished service ? no chasing local girls or being drunk on duty ? from 25.6.1940, when French Somalialand declared itself loyal to the French government in Vichy.

Following the British occupation of Italian East Africa in November 1941, the Royal Navy allowed Vichy ships through to resupply the garrison in Djibouti, which annoyed General de Gaulle, who felt that, under pressure, French Somalialand might rally to his cause. Vichy forces in French Somalialand held out for more than a year, until December 1942, when British and Free French forces occupied Djibouti and the rest of the colony following a three-month blockade by the Royal Navy. Vichy also issued a 1940 C?TE DES SOMALIS 1941 bar, intended as a replacement for the C?TE DES SOMALIS bar: <a href="http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=3742&view=findpost&p=346926" target="_blank">http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtop...st&p=346926</a>. The 1940 C?TE DES SOMALIS 1941 bar was outlawed by the January 1944 CLN decree from London.

Edited June 9, 2009 by PKeating

[Chris Boonzaier]

A nice medal... now you just need the document!

[Ulsterman]

Nice!

This one seems thater made-"tuna can-ish" to quote Rick.

[PKeating]

Nice Colonial Medal posted by Ulsterman, medal and bar clearly struck on the same dies as mine. The "tuna can" appearance or the bars suggests that these are wartime Vichy reissues of the bar awarded for service in the region between 1934 and 1937. The institution in December 1942 of the 1940-1941-dated bar was presumably to define the difference between earlier and later recipients, which would of course explain why the bar was not outlawed by the Gaullists. One wonders if any military personnel awarded the bar by the Vichy government wore it after the war. My example appears to have been worn, as the wear to the highlights and the the suspension system indicates.

I really, really, really wish the 'picker' who found this pair had either enquired after documents or could be traced by the person from whom I acquired them with a view to following up any slight chance of finding paperwork. It is so typical here: grandpa's medals end up in the local antique shop while his papers and photos, if any, end up in the garbage, unless they are framed, in which case the next -of-kin or house-clearers are less likely to throw them away. Mind you, I know a fellow who rescued a St Helena Medal document from a rubbish skip (dumpster, in American parlance), along with several bundles of letters written home by the Grande Arm?e soldier when he was on campaign. Yup...they...were...thrown...in...the...trash. The medal and any other objects were presumably sold for the price of a Big Mac or a really greasy pizza by the retards clearing the house.

Copyright ? www.france-phaleristique.com

When new, the M?daille du M?rite de l'Afrique noire fran?aise, as it was also known, or the ?M?daille de Dakar? as it was nicknamed in reference to the Battle of Dakar in 1940, was light in colour, with a lacquered finish, like other French medals of the period. There must be documents out there, slipped into files and other papers. The Battle of Dakar took place from 23.9.1940 to 25.9.1940, when British forces implementing Operation Menace attacked the Senegalese port of Dakar, then part of French West Africa with the aim of installing a Free French administration. Vichy forces resisted strongly and the British and Free French were forced to withdraw. The M?daille du M?rite de l'Afrique noire fran?aise was also awarded to Vichy soldiers and civilians who distinguished themselves defending Madagascar against British and Commonwealth forces between May and November 1942, although Vichy lost that battle in the end once the British came ashore. This medal and the 1944 ?tat Fran?ais Croix de Guerre were the only medals officially instituted for military bravery or merit by the Vichy government.

Edited June 10, 2009 by PKeating

[Bison]

Congratulations for this fantastic and absolutely scarce M?rite de l'Afrique Noire

Just a question: is there a mark on it? Usually we use to find the "Monnaie de Paris" mark (a cornucopia) with the mention "Bronze". La Monnaie de Paris is theorically the exclusive producer of this medal.

But I have read that some have also a triangular private mark... this could prove that some were manufactured by other factories. But I have never seen this 'private' made medal.

Thanks for sharing this extraordinary medal.

regards

Bison

[PKeating]

A pleasure, Bison! It took me a long time to find one of these medals. The rim is indeed stamped in the 6-o-clock position with the cornucopia mark and the word "Bronze" so it is a Monnaie de Paris specimen.

PK

[Bison]

Thanks a lot for this answer confirming that the Monnaie de Paris was the producer.

The theory of other private models seems to be not confirmed.

Yours

Bison