Hello everybody,
Can anyone explain to me something about this medal, which to my knowledge is unofficial. I have tried to study the subject for some time but my French is not at that level yet.
Was it worn as personal choice by soldiers who volunteered for frontline service during campaigns of Indo (including Corea) and AFN? Was it worn on military uniform also, or only by veterans in their civil outfit? As a collector of medals used by Legion Etrangere I wonder does this medal belong to my area or not. I have figured that at least those legionnaires who volunteered to jump to Dien Bien Phu were allowd to use it, but I might be wrong.
Sincerely, Harri

Hi Harri ,

You will find somme answers here: http://www.forum-insignes-medailles.net/les-medailles-f9/medaille-des-engages-volontaires-t3832.htm?highlight=engag%e9s+volontaires

And, as this medal is not an official one, it is forbidden to use it in uniform dresses... but frenchies are latin people, and often don't respect strictly all laws and rules!!! So, you can find some pictures showing soldiers with this medal... but more frequently wearing it in civilian clothes.
This medal exists since the 1920', until today...and a large number of former-fighters associations' members use to wear it!
As all french official and non-official medals, it may have been used by members of the Foreign Legion... But it is a myth that volunteers for a single jump into Dien Bien Phu battle have been allowed to wear it!!! They just win the right to be awarded the parachutist badge with only one jump...

With regards ,

Thanks for quick answer and clarification in this matter. One again we can see the inportance of this forum as we can cut the wings from rumours and wrong myths.
Cordialement, Harri.

Hello Harri

Nice to have you again on this forum.

Much has been written about this stricktly unofficial badge. To make it short, the vast majority of men who served with the French forces during WW1 were Standing Army - either "regulars" (professionnal soldiers or sailors) + men who were there because they had been called up for their National Military Service (at least 2 years at the time) - or reservists who were called up as belonging to the Active Reserve.

Men under age and men who had completed their obligations with the Reserves were not called up. This was also true of men who had been declared physically unfit fot National Military Service during peace-time.
A small number of other clearly defined cases of exemption were not called to serve.
All men belonging to such special categories (who were not supposed to fight but nevertheless joined the Forces) signed a special enlistment form called "Engagement volontaire pour la durée de la guerre". They were therefore known as Engagés volontaires. They would be demobilised as soon as that particular war was declared to be over.
Considering the fact that a lot of men who were called up would rather not have been, joining when you did not have to was considered to be very patriotic and brave. Something special, in other words.

It took several years after 1918 before any official medallic recognition of their participation was offered to French veterans of the Great War.
And a number of "privately made medals" became available because of the strong feeling most of the Engagés volontaires had that something of the kind was due to them. And to make such a "distinction" more attractive a ribbon was devised, the exact reverse of the higly respecable Médaille militaire, green with orange-yellow borders.

When the french Commemorative medal was finally decided upon and made available, it was decided that all Engagés volontaire would be entitled to a bar with ENGAGE VOLONTAIRE
The same thing happened for 1939-1945, with the same bar on the Commemorative medal for WW2.

And that was the official end of it. Foreigh volonteers in the Foreign Legion for the duration of the war were entitled to the bar. But men who had joined previously or had signed a "regular" five years contract were not.


The "Croix des combattants volontaires" on the other hand is a respected award going to Engagés volontaires pour la durée de la guerre" who also had been awarded the Croix du Combattant. Holds true for 1939-1945. Indochina and Korea.

I sincerely hope this does not sound too muddled.

Greetings
Vétéran

Merci Veteran,
now I understood why there is official medal and official cross. It doesn' t sound too difficult to understand now that I know the difference.
Cordialement, Harri.

Hello Harri

The truth is that a privately created medal for an Engagé volontaire, totally unofficial, was first available.
This was officially replaced by a clasp on the ribbon of the adequate commemoratlve war medal.

The Croix du Combattant Volontaire is a fully official and valuable award from France to men who did something special. It ranks immediatly after the awards for wartime acts of gallantry.

Best regards
Veteran










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Thanks to veteran for his info.
While being unofficial and replaced by a clasp ENGAGE VOLONTAIRE, why the medal was widely used by other veterans as well, not only veterans of WW I? Was the use of the medal a matter of choice or a personal statement?
Salutations, Harri.

Hello Harri ,

Phaleristic is a little bit complicated concerning this medal, born at the early end of World War 1...
As Veteran said, volunteers for frontline units wanted their services to be recognized, more than with a simple campain medal, given to all soldiers...
So, firstly some former fighters' associations created this unofficial medal, hoping that it would force the governement to approve it...
That's the reason why the governement created in 1920 the "Engagés Volontaires" clasp for the Great War Medal... But, this clasp was also replaced in 1935 by the WW1 Volunteeer Fighter Cross.
In fact, since these year, there is no reason anymore to continue to use the unofficial "Engagés Volontares" medal... but in fact, it is still proposed for sale by medal makers and dealers, and some former soldiers use to buy and wear it!

WW2 and Resistance also have their Volunteer Fighter Crosses, and since 1981, this Cross is also given for Indochina, Korea and North African campains (and also since last year for all military operations for all former volunteers' conccripts)...

With regards ,

Thank you Marcel,
I think I now understand the existence of the medal.
Yours, Harri.