French Medal Identification Help Requested.

[German IR 169]

Greetings,    A friend of mine is seeking information about French medals that were earned by her grandfather who served in the French Foreign Legion in the period between Pre-WW II, WW II (where he was held as a prisoner by the Germans) and post WW II.    She provided me pictures of the medals which are in a shadow box.     She does not have any further background information on the medals, and would greatly appreciate further identification, and in particular, information on the significance of some of the more important medals.   (Although I don't believe his service included  WW I, a number of these medals were awarded in the Great War.)

 

I have taken a first stab at the identification by comparing the below pictures with the website https://www.identifymedals.com/medals-database-medals-from-france/.     For tracking purposes, I have listed the medals in the pattern depicted in the picture.    Those I have tentatively identified are listed with the number, those I could not match are listed as "?".      On behalf of my friend, I really appreciate any insight that members can provide. 

 

                   Shadow Box Medal Placement

 

___1____           ____2___           ____3___           ___4____

 

___5____           ____6___           ___7____           ___8____

 

___9____           ___10____         ___11____         ___12____

 

___13____         ___14____         ___15____         ___16____

 

1.  The Military Medal  (pre WW I era)

 

2.  The War Cross 1935-1945.  

 

3.  The Cross of the Resistance Volunteer Combatant (WW II)

 

4.  The Combatant’s Cross (WW I era, also awarded to WW II vets)

 

5.   Unidentified version of Combatant’s Cross?  guide version Ribbon pattern: tan/pink/tan/pink/tan.

 

6.  The Escapee’s Medal (WW I era. awarded to WW II escapees.) guide version pattern:  yellow/green/yellow/green.

 

7.  ?

 

8.  The 1939-1945 Commemorative War Medal (France)  (WW II)

 

9.  The Overseas Medal  (post WW I era).

 

10.  The North Africa Security and Order Operations Commemorative Medal (Post WW II era.)

 

11.  The Indochina Campaign Commemorative Medal (Post WW II era)

 

12.  The Colonial Medal (pre WW I era)

 

13.  The Honour Medal of Foreign Affairs (pre WW I era)

 

14.  ?

 

15.  ?

 

16.  ?

Edited 1 December , 2019 by German IR 169
typo correction

[travers61]

Wikipedia shows medal no 14 to be the 

 

Honour medal for youth, sports and associative engagements

 

and medal 7

 

Interned for acts of resistance medal

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders,_decorations,_and_medals_of_France

Edited 1 December , 2019 by travers61
medal 7 added

[German IR 169]

Thank you so much,  greatly appreciated.   John

[aim]

Medal No. 15 could be to a Knight of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite. Wikipedia says this is a Moroccan medal issued after 1934.

 

aim

[travers61]

Medal no 16 is advertised here as the:

 

Morocco WW1 Dahir Medal Satisfaction Order Ouissam Alaouite Decoration 1914 1918

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Morocco-WW1-Dahir-Medal-Satisfaction-Order-Ouissam-Alaouite-Decoration-1914-1918/401742536474?hash=item5d89b89f1a:g:FmcAAOSwYH5WB7Oc

 

and here as the Dahir Medal of Satisfaction

 

http://www.emering.com/medals/french/morocco.html

[German IR 169]

aim/Travers,   Thank you both very much.   My friend noted that she believed her grandfather was captured by the Germans after departing Morocco, so the Morocco connections certainly would make sense.    Thanks to the WFA network, we have now accounted for the identity of all 16 medals.    Really appreciate the help, she will be quite pleased.

 

Regards.      John