Chris Boonzaier Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 I have been going through a phase where most new things make me yawn.... But this made me a happy boy..... My old Regiment 2eme Regiment Etranger,,,, my favourite clasp... Sahara.... and within the first year of it being issued..... this is really, really Beau Geste stuff.... I assume the Medal has a period repair... cannot figure out what is going on at the back of the frame...
TacHel Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 The back inscription says: I memory of the "du Fouratier" (?) post of the Foreign Legion. In honnour of an old and loyal servant. signed Captain something (Just a guess, seems to say) Innsbruck 3/3/1949 Your assumption of a period repair, IMHO, might not be that. Looking at the medal, its attachment and ribbon, I'd bet on a 100% local indigenous manufacture (Moroccan). A great find!! :jumping:
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 11, 2012 Author Posted October 11, 2012 HI, I think "In memory of the post d'Information " (The PILE) The disk is stamped "Lemaire" and the wreathed suspender are definately french made though. Best Chris
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 11, 2012 Author Posted October 11, 2012 The PILE are Legion Recruiting centers. I did not know they had any in Austria after the war. With some googling I found out that there was indeed Legion recruiting done in Innsbruck in the late 40s, the one example I found was a Pole recruited from a displaced persons camp near Innsbruck. I guess the Austrians were happy to get rid of displaced persons. Best Chris
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 11, 2012 Author Posted October 11, 2012 Signature seems to be Col Bruneau
TacHel Posted October 11, 2012 Posted October 11, 2012 HI, I think "In memory of the post d'Information " (The PILE) Looking at it again, I think your spot on with "poste d'information". The disk is stamped "Lemaire" and the wreathed suspender are definately french made though. OK, kind of odd they repaired the suspension loop 90 degrees off... Hmmmm... Signature seems to be Col Bruneau Where do you see "colonel"? Really looks like "capitaine"... No? A reason I mentioned an indigenous manufacture was the ribbon, it looks like it was crocheted...
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 11, 2012 Author Posted October 11, 2012 Hi, It is signed by 3 officers, the Colonle under the Regimental stamp. I think the ribbon is an emergency measure... I have a drawer full of old medals without ribbons... if I could only teach the wife to Crochet!!
TacHel Posted October 11, 2012 Posted October 11, 2012 I've looked again and again at the word between "Le" and "Bruneau" in different magnifications, not even sure it's "capitaine"... Would he, could he have had a special title? This is what I (think I) see: P (or partial C), ?, f. ?, t (or b), a, i, r, e
Veteran Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 Hi Chris I can understand your excitement about this very unusual find. It certainly looks right to me. The "ribbon" is quite unique. Just cannot remember seeing anything quite like that before, it looks homemade to me.. Sorry I cannot suggest anything about the written statement in the back. Salut !
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 15, 2012 Author Posted October 15, 2012 Here we go... this is the era.....
TacHel Posted October 15, 2012 Posted October 15, 2012 Again and again I looked at the back inscription... IMO, it can only mean "capitaine"...
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 15, 2012 Author Posted October 15, 2012 Again and again I looked at the back inscription... IMO, it can only mean "capitaine"... Sorry. misunderstanding, I meant the signature on the front. The back is Capitain
peter monahan Posted October 21, 2012 Posted October 21, 2012 Wow! Definitely a keeper. I read all the PC Wren books on the Legion - 5 or 6 in all, I think - as a teenager. Even then the hearty English racism was a bit off putting but boy could that man write! And, of course, his having served with the LE was the icing on the cake to a 14 year old. I'm afraid to re-read them in case they don't stand up, but I'd have snapped up that medal in a minute if I'd seen it, even though I don't even collect any more. Well done, that man! :)
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 21, 2012 Author Posted October 21, 2012 Hi, Wren seemed to have no military service. His Legion parts are often pretty accurate, but apparently he got it from chatting to ex Legionnaires. Best Chris
Stormbringer Posted October 28, 2012 Posted October 28, 2012 This is a very interesting medal indeed, but I am even more impressed from something in your discussion. How can I find any info about recruiting posts of FFL outside France? I came over some hints that they existed after WWI.
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 28, 2012 Author Posted October 28, 2012 Thats a very good question... I wuld have thought maybe in Germany, but did not know there were any French occupation troops in Austria. Maybe the Austians were just glad to get rid of displaced people...
Stormbringer Posted October 29, 2012 Posted October 29, 2012 There were may be 3 or 4 such posts in Bulgaria, which had a sufficient French occupying forces under General Cretien, but I am diverting the thread from your original idea and I`m sorry for that... :unsure:
Chris Boonzaier Posted October 29, 2012 Author Posted October 29, 2012 No Problem, threads are there to generate discussion... in whatever direction..
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