The Medal of French Gratitude (French: "Médaille de la Reconnaissance française") was a French honour medal created on 13 July 1917 and solely awarded to civilians.[1] The medal was created to express gratitude by the French government to all those who, without legal or military obligation, had come to the aid of the injured, disabled, refugees, or who had performed an act of exceptional dedication in the presence of the enemy during the First World War. The creation of this distinction was mainly the result of unsuccessful offensives of General Nivelle in 1917 and the serious crisis of confidence in France. The French government thus wanted to thank those who, despite the crisis, were always volunteering. It has three classes: bronze, silver, and gold. Nearly 15,000 people and communities were recipients of this award. The medal is no longer awarded, the last award was on 14 February 1959.[2]
Type 1 silver grade award (obverse)Resistance fighhter Albert Kohan, a recipient of the Medal of French GratitudeAmerican philanthropist Ellen Ridgway, a recipient of the Medal of French GratitudeFather Émile Blanchet, a recipient of the Medal of French Gratitude
The Medal of French Gratitude was awarded following World War I to the following:[1]
Persons who, in the presence of the enemy, have performed acts of exceptional dedication, the duration of these services having spanned one year (Decree of December 2, 1917)
Deserving communities (whose members were are not allowed to wear the ribbon or individual medal by decree of December 2, 1917);
Citizens of Alsace-Lorraine who were deported, exiled or imprisoned, before 1 August 1914, by German authorities because of their attachment to France and those in the departments occupied themselves, for their courageous stand while exposed to reprisals (Decree of 1 April 1922);
Prisoners of war, civilian prisoners, hostages and deportees because of exceptional acts courage and dedication for the allied cause. The inhabitants of occupied areas or Alsace and Lorraine who helped these people (decrees of 29 November 1926 and December 8, 1928).
Award descriptionedit
The first model was a 30 mm in diameter circular bronze, silver or gilded medal depending on the level of the award, the design was by engraver Jules Desbois. The obverse bore charity personified by France supporting a wounded soldier. On the reverse at centre, the relief circular inscription "RECONNAISSANCE FRANÇAISE" along the circumference with at centre and a palm leaf on the right.
The second model is a 32 mm in diameter circular bronze, silver or gilded medal depending on the level of the award, the design was by engraver Maurice Delannoy. The obverse bears a woman wearing a Phrygian cap representing France offering a palm. On the reverse, the relief inscription RECONNAISSANCE FRANÇAISE around a wreath of roses surrounding an escutcheon bearing the initials "RF" (for République Française).
The medal hung from a 37 mm wide white silk moiré ribbon with tricolour 2 mm wide edge stripes of blue, white and red, the blue being outermost.
French medals by order of precedence==References==
^ abcChampenois, Marc (January 2004). . France Phaleristique (in French). Archived from the original on 2010-08-15. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
^. Comité d'Entente d'Associations de Combattants de l' Hérault (in French). 2005. Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
^Knowlson, James (1997). Damned to Fame: The Life of Samuel Beckett (2nd ed.). London: Bloomsbury. p. 320.
January 01, 1970
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The Medal of French Gratitude French Medaille de la Reconnaissance francaise was a French honour medal created on 13 July 1917 and solely awarded to civilians 1 The medal was created to express gratitude by the French government to all those who without legal or military obligation had come to the aid of the injured disabled refugees or who had performed an act of exceptional dedication in the presence of the enemy during the First World War The creation of this distinction was mainly the result of unsuccessful offensives of General Nivelle in 1917 and the serious crisis of confidence in France The French government thus wanted to thank those who despite the crisis were always volunteering It has three classes bronze silver and gold Nearly 15 000 people and communities were recipients of this award The medal is no longer awarded the last award was on 14 February 1959 2 Medal of French GratitudeBronze level type 2 obverse TypeThree grade medalAwarded forSupport to the victims of warPresented by FranceStatusNo longer awardedEstablished13 July 1917Total recipients 15 000Gold Silver BronzePrecedenceNext higher Combatant s CrossNext lower Overseas Medal Type 1 silver grade award obverse Resistance fighhter Albert Kohan a recipient of the Medal of French Gratitude American philanthropist Ellen Ridgway a recipient of the Medal of French Gratitude Father Emile Blanchet a recipient of the Medal of French Gratitude Contents 1 Award statute 2 Award description 3 Notable recipients partial list 3 1 French citizens 3 2 Foreign nationals 4 Communities decorated 4 1 French cities 4 2 Foreign cities 5 See also 6 External linksAward statute editThe Medal of French Gratitude was awarded following World War I to the following 1 Persons who in the presence of the enemy have performed acts of exceptional dedication the duration of these services having spanned one year Decree of December 2 1917 Deserving communities whose members were are not allowed to wear the ribbon or individual medal by decree of December 2 1917 Citizens of Alsace Lorraine who were deported exiled or imprisoned before 1 August 1914 by German authorities because of their attachment to France and those in the departments occupied themselves for their courageous stand while exposed to reprisals Decree of 1 April 1922 Prisoners of war civilian prisoners hostages and deportees because of exceptional acts courage and dedication for the allied cause The inhabitants of occupied areas or Alsace and Lorraine who helped these people decrees of 29 November 1926 and December 8 1928 Award description editThe first model was a 30 mm in diameter circular bronze silver or gilded medal depending on the level of the award the design was by engraver Jules Desbois The obverse bore charity personified by France supporting a wounded soldier On the reverse at centre the relief circular inscription RECONNAISSANCE FRANCAISE along the circumference with at centre and a palm leaf on the right The second model is a 32 mm in diameter circular bronze silver or gilded medal depending on the level of the award the design was by engraver Maurice Delannoy The obverse bears a woman wearing a Phrygian cap representing France offering a palm On the reverse the relief inscription RECONNAISSANCE FRANCAISE around a wreath of roses surrounding an escutcheon bearing the initials RF for Republique Francaise The medal hung from a 37 mm wide white silk moire ribbon with tricolour 2 mm wide edge stripes of blue white and red the blue being outermost Notable recipients partial list editFrench citizens edit Father Emile Blanchet Politician Raoul Bleuse Herminie de La Brousse de Verteillac Princesse of Leon Doctor Alfred Cerne Suzanne Despres Doctor Leandre Dupre Politician Charles Ehrmann Resistance fighter Charles Fenain Marquise Corisande de Gramont Paul Jacques Kalb Lawyer Pierre Kedinger General Marie Pierre Kœnig Resistance fighter Albert Kohan Writer Camille Marbo Resistance member Paul Rassinier Resistance member Eric Reach Foreign nationals edit Ettie Rout for her safe sex work among the Allied troops during World War I nbsp New Zealand Samuel Beckett for his secretarial work with the Resistance cell known as Gloria SMH 3 nbsp Ireland Lucile Atcherson Curtis diplomat nbsp United States Barbara Borsinger nurse nbsp Switzerland Prince Boun Oum nbsp Laos Alan Burns 4th Baron Inverclyde nbsp United Kingdom Marquesa del Ter nbsp Spain James Michael Curley mayor of Boston nbsp United States Louis Dewis activist on behalf of Belgians during World War I and noted landscape artist nbsp Belgium Charlotte Fairbanks surgeon nbsp United States Perrin Comstock Galpin served with Herbert Hoover in Belgian food relief immediately after World War I nbsp United States Mary Frances Crowley for her work at Saint Lo nbsp Ireland Marie Galway nbsp United Kingdom Ethel Gray nurse nbsp Australia Julia Green Scott philanthropist nbsp United States Catherine Haviland nbsp United States Amelia Hetherington nbsp Australia Lotta Hitschmanova nbsp Canada Aline Rhonie Hofheimer pilot nbsp United States Charlotte Kellogg nbsp United States John Adams Kingsbury Assistant director of general relief American Red Cross France nbsp United States Helen Kirkpatrick war correspondent nbsp United States Tracey barrett kittredge Captain commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps nbsp United States Anna Elizabeth Klumpke artist nbsp United States Rachel Gertrude Moseley MM First Aid Nursing Yeomanry FANY ambulance driver 1918 nbsp United Kingdom Louise Mountbatten nbsp United Kingdom nurse with British Red Cross an aunt of Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh later Queen of Sweden nbsp Sweden Decima Moore nbsp United Kingdom Norman Holmes Pearson nbsp United States Vere Ponsonby 9th Earl of Bessborough nbsp United Kingdom Harriet Rice Doctor nbsp United States Harold Ross journalist who co founded The New Yorker magazine in 1925 nbsp United States Hunter Scarlett nbsp United States Helen Sexton surgeon nbsp Australia Belle Skinner philanthropist nbsp United States Alfa Tofft Save the Children after WW II nbsp Denmark Frank A Vanderlip banker and journalist nbsp United States Mariana Griswold Van Rensselaer president of the American Fund for french Wounded New York Committee nbsp United StatesCommunities decorated editThe Medal of French Gratitude was awarded to six French and eight foreign cities 1 French cities edit Annemasse Thonon and Evian 1921 Ceret 1946 Cerbere and Hochfelden 1947 Foreign cities edit Schaffhausen 1919 Basel Geneva and Lausanne 1921 Montreux 1953 nbsp Switzerland Mons 1920 nbsp Belgium Luxembourg 1921 nbsp Luxembourg Narvik 1954 nbsp NorwaySee also edit nbsp France portal World War I German occupation of north east France during World War I Ribbons of the French military and civil awardsExternal links editChancellery and museum of the Legion of Honour in French Entente combattants in French French medals by order of precedence References a b c Champenois Marc January 2004 Medaille de la Reconnaissance francaise France Phaleristique in French Archived from the original on 2010 08 15 Retrieved 2010 12 06 Decorations Comite d Entente d Associations de Combattants de l Herault in French 2005 Archived from the original on 2011 07 10 Retrieved 2010 12 06 Knowlson James 1997 Damned to Fame The Life of Samuel Beckett 2nd ed London Bloomsbury p 320 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Medal of French Gratitude amp oldid 1222294461, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
