1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal (France)

1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal (France)
Obverse and reverse of the 1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal
Awarded by  France
Type	Commemorative Medal
Eligibility	Allied military forces, and attached civilians
Awarded for	Participation in World War I
Status	No longer awarded
Statistics
Established	20 July 1922
Precedence
Next (higher)	Médaille commémorative du Maroc (1909)
Next (lower)	Médaille commémorative de la bataille de Verdun
Related	Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1914–1918
Ribbon of the 1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal

The 1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal (French: "Médaille Interalliée de la Victoire 1914–1918") was a French commemorative medal established 20 July 1922. It was awarded to all soldiers who served three months, consecutive or not, between 2 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 in the war zone. It was also awarded to civilian nurses, aliens (civilian or military) who served directly under French command, Marshals and generals who had a command for at least three months, prisoners of war from Alsace and Lorraine (region). Article 10 of the establishing law states: "The award of the medal is also acquired by military members who were killed by the enemy or died from wounds of war and those (....) who died of disease or injury incurred in service."^[1]

International award

France, as well as a significant number of Allies and associated countries involved in the conflict against the Central Powers issued a Victory Medal. The proposal for such a common award was first made by French Marshal Ferdinand Foch who was supreme commander of the Allied Forces during the First World War. Each medal, in bronze, has the same diameter (36 mm) and ribbon (double rainbow), but with a national design representing a winged Victory. In countries where an allegorical winged victory did not make cultural sense, another design theme was utilized.

Country	Designer	Manufacturer	Number issued
Belgium	Paul Du Bois (1859–1938)	-----	300,000 – 350,000
Brazil	Jorge Soubre (1890–1934)	Casa da Moeda Rio	approximately 2,500
Cuba	Charles Charles	Etablissements Chobillon	6,000 – 7,000
Czechoslovakia	Otakar Španiel (1881–1955)	Kremnice Mint	approximately 89,500
France	Pierre-Alexandre Morlon (1878–1951)	Monnaie de Paris	approximately 2,000,000
France[2]	Charles Charles	Etablissements Chobillon	-----
France[2]	M. Pautot Louis Octave Mattei	-----	-----
Great Britain[3]	William McMillan (1887–1977)	Woolwich Arsenal Wright & Son	6,334,522 plus
Greece	Henry-Eugène Nocq (1868–1944)	V. Canale	approximately 200,000
Italy	Gaetano Orsolini (1884–1954)	Sacchini-Milano S.Johnson-Milano F.M.Lorioli & Castelli-Milano	approximately 2,000,000
Japan[4]	Shoukichi Hata	Osaka Mint	approximately 700,000
Poland[5]	.... Vlaitov	Mint Kremnica	-----
Portugal	João Da Silva (1880–1960)	Da Costa	approximately 100,000
Rumania	.... Kristesko	-----	approximately 300,000
Siam (Thailand)	Itthithepsan Kritakara (1890–1935)	-----	approximately 1,500
South Africa[6]	William McMillan (1887–1977)	Woolwich Arsenal	approximately 75,000
United States	James Earle Fraser (1876–1953)	Arts Metal Works Inc. S.G.Adams Stamp & Stationary Co. Jos. Mayer Inc.	approximately 2,500,000

(Main source : ‘’The interallied victory medals of world war I’’ by Alexander J. Laslo, Dorado Publishing, Albuquerque. 1986 Edition )

Attestation paper

An attestation paper was given to each receiper allowing him to wear the medal.

Attestation paper for inter-allied victory medal

References

1. Champenois, Marc (1 January 2011), "MÉDAILLE INTERALLIÉE dite MÉDAILLE DE LA VICTOIRE", France-phaleristique.com (in French), retrieved 6 June 2011
2. Unofficial type.
3. Awarded not only to British combatants but as well to those from the dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and those from the Empire of India.
4. On the obverse the winged figure of Victory was replaced by a warrior holding a spear.
5. For reasons still not known, Poland did not proceed with the manufacture of the medal at their mint. The medal shows a clearly visible “MK” ( Mint Kremnica). The medal may possibly be an unofficial strike by a veteran’s group.
6. The text on the reverse is in English and Dutch.