Insigne des blessés civils

Award

Insigne des blessés civils

Awarded for	Injury sustained during time of war
Presented by	France
Eligibility	Civilians
Status	Unofficial

Ribbon Bar of the Medal

The Insigne des blessés civils ("Wounded Civilians Badge") is a French distinction for civilians, irrespective of age or sex, who have been injured or maimed as a result of war.

History

Maurice Barres, advocate of the National Federation of the Disabled and President of the League of Patriots, is credited with the idea for the Badge of Wounded Civilians. Early in the Great War, he wrote two articles in the newspaper L'Echo de Paris, first on 28 March 1915 and another on June 10 1915, calling for the creation of this distinctive insignia. The purpose was to publicly designate "un homme dont les blessures, l'infirmité, la maladie proviennent d'un fait de guerre" ("a man whose injury, disability, illness comes from an act of war").

On July 18, 1918, a decree made at the initiative of Minister of the Interior, which instituted a lapel pin for civilian victims of war. This award is presented:

for World War I 1914-1918, by order of the Minister of Interior after consulting a board meeting at Head of the department of residence of the candidate.
for World War II 1939-1945, by the Minister of Veterans and War Victims, the candidate must be a pensioner or civilian casualties of war.

La Grande Chancellerie de la Légion d'honneur does not recognize this medal, or the military version, as an official decoration, therefore it is not mentioned on any order of precedence list. However, in view of the importance which many of its owners have, it is widely worn.

Description of the Medal

Currently, the most commonly worn medal is uniface of gilt bronze, 30 mm in diameter. It consists of a white enamel star encircled by a wreath of oak and laurel leaves. The medal hangs from a ribbon of blue and yellow. When the ribbon bar is worn alone it has a white star clasp.

References

https://web.archive.org/web/20100419062824/http://www.france-phaleristique.com/blesinsigns.htm

Orders, decorations, and medals of France

Orders

National	Order of the Legion of Honour Order of Liberation Order of Merit
Ministerial	Order of Academic Palms Order of Agricultural Merit Order of Maritime Merit Order of Arts and Letters
Territorial	Order of Tahiti Nui

Decorations and medals

Civilian

Military

Commemorative medals

1852 – 1871: Second Empire	Saint Helena Medal Commemorative medal of the 1859 Italian Campaign Commemorative medal of the 1860 China Expedition Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition
1871–1914: Belle Époque	Commemorative medal of the 1870–1871 War Tonkin Expedition commemorative medal (1885) Dahomey Expedition commemorative medal (1892) Madagascar Expeditions commemorative medal Colonial Medal China Expedition commemorative medal (1901) Morocco commemorative medal (1909)
1914–1918: World War I	1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal Dardanelles campaign medal Orient campaign medal Commemorative medal of the 1914–1918 War Medal of French Gratitude Medal for Victims of the Invasion Medal for civilian prisoners, deportees and hostages of the 1914-1918 Great War
1918–1939: Interwar	Syria-Cilicia commemorative medal
1939–1945: World War II	Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France Italian Campaign medal Medal for deportation and internment for acts of resistance Political deportation and internment medal Commemorative medal of the 1939–1945 War Medal of a liberated France Recusant's insignia
1945–1964: Decolonisation	United Nations operations in Korea commemorative medal Indochina Campaign commemorative medal Middle East operations commemorative medal North Africa Security and Order Operations Commemorative Medal
Since 1964	Medal of the Nation's Gratitude North Africa medal United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon medal French commemorative medal Medal for the Military Protection of the Territory

Defunct orders

Royal & Imperial	Order of Saint Michael Order of the Holy Spirit Order of Saint Louis Order of Military Merit Order of the Iron Crown Order of the Three-Golden Fleeces Order of the Reunion Decoration of The Lily Decoration of the Bordeaux Armband Decoration of the Fidelity Medal of the wounded Order of the Cross of July
Ministerial	Order of Merit for Veterans Order of Military Merit Order of Civil Merit Order of Social Merit Order of Labour Merit Order of Touristic Merit Order of the National Economy Order of Commercial and Industrial Merit Order of Artisan Merit Order of Public Health Order of Postal Merit Order of Sport Merit
Colonial	Order of Indochinese Merit Order of Saharan Merit Order of the Black Star Order of the Star of Anjouan Order of Nichan el Anouar Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam Royal Order of Cambodia Order of Merit of Madagascar and dependencies Order of Merit of Cameroon

France portal

Categories:

Misplaced Pages