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The Médaille militaire (English: Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for all ranks for acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is officially inferior in precedence to the Légion d'honneur, but unlike the Légion it is awarded only for military service (whereas the Légion d'honneur is frequently awarded for administrative or political activities). An award of the Légion d'honneur for military activities is accompanied by an award of the Médaille militaire. The médaille can also accompany awards of the Légion d'honneur for generals and admirals who have defeated the enemy.
The Médaille militaire is a relatively commonly awarded medal. For example, half a million were awarded in World War II (in comparison, the British Military Medal was only awarded 135,000 times in its period of use from 1916 to 1993). In Commonwealth terms, the Médaille militaire indicates an act of courage roughly equivalent to a Commonwealth "mention in dispatches".[citation needed]
The award was first established in 1852 by Emperor Napoleon III who may have taken his inspiration from a medal established and awarded by his father, Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland.
After the First World War, the Military Medal was also temporarily awarded for wounds received in combat.
Award description
The Médaille militaire is a silver laurel wreath, 28 mm (1.1 in) in diameter, wrapped around a central gold medallion bearing the left profile of Marianne, effigy of the French Republic, the original 2nd Empire variant bore the left profile of Emperor Napoleon III. The central gold medallion is surrounded by a blue enamelled ring bearing the gilt inscription "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" (English: "FRENCH REPUBLIC") with a small gilt five-pointed star at the bottom for a 4th Republic award, three stars for a 5th Republic variant, the 3rd Republic variant bore the date 1870, the 2nd Empire variant bore the gilt inscription "LOUIS-NAPOLEON" in lieu of "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" and had flowers on both sides of the small star at the bottom. The original variant was topped by a silver imperial eagle with a loop through which the suspension ring passed, all other variants were and are topped by a device composed of a breastplate superimposed over crossed cannons, a naval anchor, sabres, swords and battle axes, to which the suspension ring passes through a loop for attachment to a ribbon. The reverse of the medallion is common to all variants since inception of the award, it bears the relief inscription on three lines "VALEUR ET DISPLINE" (English: "VALOUR AND DISCIPLINE) and is surrounded by a blue enamelled ring
The ribbon of the Médaille militaire is 37 mm (1.5 in) wide, yellow in color with 6 mm-wide (0.24 in) green stripes on each edge. This ribbon was borrowed from the Order of the Iron Crown which it effectively replaced in France.
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