Unknown French or Belgian Medal

[Sepoy]

I have come across a WW1 Medal which has left me puzzled, and I hope that someone on the forum can help in indentifying it.

The silvered medal looks typically French with a women's head bearing a laurel wreath surrounded by "JE SOURIRAI QUAND MEME 1918".

The reverse shows the Ypres Cloth Hall next to the date 1914 and surrounded by LES PLUS GRAND MUTILES ET INVALIDES DE GUERRE. The reverse is also engraved Mr LEON COEKELBERG and marked RECONNAISSANCE.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Sepoy

[Sepoy]

A close up of the reverse and obverse

[Joris Ryckeboer]

Makes me think of the "Les Gueules Cassées"...

There device is; "Sourire quand même ".

Non-official?

[SiegeGunner]

The reverse is also engraved Mr LEON COEKELBERG and marked RECONNAISSANCE.

COECKELBERGH, I think. Given the name and the image, more likely Belgian.

[janecavell]

An Association called "Les plus grands mutilés de guerre combattants" is on this list of Belgian veterans' associations etc.

(I wonder if the medal's recipient was the same Leon Coeckelbergh who was co-pilot of the 1923 and 1924 Belgian team that won the prestigious balloon race, the 'Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett'.)

[Doc2]

It looks unofficial. Probably for one of the many government-affiliated relief and rehabilitation organisations aimed at war veterans. I would agree that it is probably Belgian. A still-existing organisation with a title very similar to the inscription still exists. You might wish to contact them and see if they can help you identify your medal. Try:

Fédération Royale Nationale des Militaires Mutilés et Invalides de Guerre FRNI

c/o Monsieur Walter S. L. Markey, boulevard du Régent 45-46/6, 1000 Bruxelles

Doc

[Sepoy]

Many thanks for all your help and suggestions with this query.

Sepoy