French WW1 Verdun medal 1916 World War One France - ORIGINAL For Sale

Around 70% of all the French soldiers that were engaged inWorld War Iparticipated to the battle of Verdun. Six or seven different designs were put forward for the medal but none were approved by the French Government and all remained unofficial awards that could not be worn on military uniform.

Originally intended to be “awarded to those who served on the Verdun front between 21 February 1916 and 2 November 1916, the medal was, in fact, awarded to those who served anywhere on the Argonne and St Mihiel sectors between 31 July 1914 and 11 November 1918.

The medal shows a red ribbon with a French flag is supporting a bronze badge. The obverse shows the head of the Republic (a symbol of the IIIrd French Republic) and the famous sentence pronounced by Robert Nivelle: “Ils ne passeront pas”, translated as:they will not break through.

The medal is fitted with a loose ring suspender and a piece of 37 mm red ribbon that has blue-white-red edges.

The original, and most commonly found, version was by Vernier but since supplies of this medal were inadequate, others created Verdun medals and at least seven versions of varying rarity are known. It is relatively common medal to find but it was an immense measure of respect in the civil life. It was carried with pride to show that these soldiers participated in the biggest attack France had to suffer in its history.