Médaille militaire
The Médaille militaire (English: Military Medal) is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, after the Legion of Honour, a civil and military order, and the Order of Liberation, a Second World War-only order. The Médaille militaire is therefore the most senior entirely military active French decoration.
| Médaille militaire | |
|---|---|
Badge of the Médaille militaire (obverse) | |
| Type | Military decoration |
| Awarded for | Valour in combat or long service |
| Presented by | France |
| Eligibility | Privates, NCOs, Commanders-in-chief generals and admirals |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Established | January 22, 1852 |
Ribbon of the Military Medal | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of Liberation |
| Next (lower) | National Order of Merit |
During World War I, 230,000 médailles were awarded, when 1,400,000 French Army soldiers were killed and 3,000,000 wounded. For comparison, the UK Military Medal was awarded on 115,000 occasions in World War I, when 673,375 British Army soldiers were killed and 1,643,469 wounded. There were 628 awards to 627 recipients of the Victoria Cross, the United Kingdom's highest military decoration.
The award was first established in 1852 by the first President of the French Republic, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte 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.