Baqueville-made Médaille Militaire in Gold with Diamonds of General Philippe Pétain

Gold, silver, diamonds, enamel.

Reverse signed "Barre".

"Les Officiers du Grand Quartier Général au Général Pétain/The Officers of the General Headquarters to General Pétain".

Case.

 

Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain (April 24, 1856 in Cauchy-à-la-Tour, Pas-de-Calais department; July 23, 1951 in Port-Joinville, Île d'Yeu, Vendée department) was a French military officer, diplomat and politician.

From 1940 to 1944 he was head of state of the authoritarian État français (Vichy regime). During the First World War, Pétain became a celebrated national hero ("Hero of Verdun") due to his defensive successes in the Battle of Verdun and became commander-in-chief of the French army in 1917. In the interwar period, as an influential Marshal of France and in various military offices, he played a decisive role in shaping his country's defense doctrine. In the course of the looming French defeat against the Nazi German Reich, Pétain became the last head of government of the Third Republic on 16 June 1940 and secured the Armistice of Compiègne. From 1940 to 1944, he then took over the leadership of the État français in Vichy, which collaborated with the Reich, as Chef de l'État (Head of State) with almost absolute powers, and proclaimed the breach of the republican-democratic principle in France in the Révolution Nationale. With the political rise of Pierre Laval, Pétain lost his absolute position of power from 1942 onwards. Pétain was sentenced to death in 1945 for collaboration. However, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.​

 

Philippe Pétain was awarded Military Medal on August 6, 1918.

The President of the Council, Minister of War, Having regard to the decree of August 13, 1914.

The following general officer is hereby inscribed on the special roll of the Military Medal, effective August 6, 1918.

Pétain (Henri - Philippe - Bénoni - Omer-Joséph), Major General, Commander-in-Chief of the French Armies of the North and Northeast: during this war, in the various commands he held: brigade, division, army corps, army, army group, French army, he always demonstrated the finest moral and technical qualities. A soldier at heart, he never ceased to give shining proof of the purest spirit of duty and the highest self-sacrifice. He always maintained firm and benevolent discipline in the armies under his command; He has sustained their morale to the utmost degree and instilled their confidence. He has just earned himself imperishable titles to national recognition by breaking the German onslaught and victoriously driving it back. (Croix de Guerre.)​

Paris, August 6, 1918.
Georges Clemenceau​