France Franc-tireur medal/badge?

[HenkWillem]

Hello all,

Is there somebody that could tell me more about this medal/badge?

I believe that it has something to do with the Légion étrangère. Here is also a photo of a former Legionair, who is wearing this medal/badge: http://nl.wikipedia....wiki/Jean_Krans (here they mention the badge as the badge of Franc-tireurs).

Any help is appreciated!

[Veteran]

An interesting badge, no doubt. But what makes you think it relates to the French Foreign Legion ?

A number of foreign volunteers fought on the French side during the 1870-71 war against Germany, serving with a variety of units.

It is also true that three battalions of the Foreign Legion also took part in the war.

To be quite honest, that type of badge is not very much in the French style.... but so many strange things happen, n'est-ce pas ?

Thanks for showing it. Let's hope someone comes up with a good answer. Sorry I can't be more constructive.

Veteran

Edited October 1, 2012 by Veteran

[HenkWillem]

A relative of Jean Krans asked me if I knew what kind of badge it is. The idea of the French Foreign Legion is based on this sentence from the wikipedia site:

"Hij noemde zich voortaan Jean en droeg dageljks het insigne van de franc-tireurs, een gouden doodskopje, als dasspeld onder zijn kin."

Roughly translated:

From now on he called himself Jean and wore daily the isignia of the Franc-Tireurs (a golden skull) as lapel pin under his chin.

I have no further thoughts about the badge because it is not my area of interest, I'm just trying to help someone solving a mystery.

[Veteran]

I quite understand.

My reaction came from the difference between "Francs-Tireurs" which were basically irregulars and the strict legionnaire soldiering.

It may be that he was part, at one time or an other during that war, of one of those Francs-Tireurs units. If so my guess would be that he was no more (or not yet) a legionnaire.

Just a thought about your interesting badge. Hope it is useful.