French Victory Medal 1914-1918

French Victory Medal 1914-1918. Unnamed as issued. Obverse: A winged figure of Victory wearing a sword at her waist and holding an oak branch in her right hand and a laurel wreath in her left. The designers name 'A. MORLON' is at 5 'o'clock. Reverse: A Phrygian cap between the letters 'R F' above the inscription 'LA GRANDE GVERRE POVR LA CIVILISATION 1914-1918 on five lines. The medal is fitted with a loose ring suspender and a piece of 37 mm watered rainbow pattern ribbon that has purple on the outside edges to red in the centre.

Created in 1919 by representatives of the Allied nations as an award to their combatants of the First World War. Each country produced its own design and wording but used a common double rainbow ribbon. The French version was instituted on 20 July 1922. This medal is part of a collection assembled by the late Hon. Sir Thomas Hughes, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. It was presented to the Memorial in memory of his son, Captain Roger Forrest Hughes, Australian Army Medical Corps, who died of wounds in France on 11 December 1916 and his grandson, Flying Officer Peter Roger Forrest Hughes, 12 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, who was killed on active service while flying in the Northern Territory on 3 October 1942.