Honour medal of railroads

A 32mm in diameter circular silver or silver gilt (from 1919) medal. The design was from Oscar Roty, a famous period engraver of coinage and stamps. The medal hung from a ribbon passing through a suspension ring itself passing through a barrel shaped suspension affixed to the top of the medal. The silk moiré ribbon was 37mm wide with seven equal vertical stripes of blue-white-red-white-blue-white-red. The original 1913 ribbon bore the golden-yellow silk sewn-in image of a steam locomotive, replaced in 1919 by a metallic clasp in the form of a steam locomotive, silver or gilt depending on the grade of the award.[1]

• On the obverse: the effigy of the republic wearing a Phrygian cap crowned with laurels.[1]
  • Inscription: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (in English : FRENCH REPUBLIC).[1]
• On the reverse: a rectangular cartouche destined to bear the name of the recipient over an unfurled scroll. It sits atop the bottom of a crown of laurels and oak leaves with a ribbon bearing the inscriptions HONNEUR (in English: HONOUR) and TRAVAIL (in English: WORK). The crown surrounds the image of the front of a steam locomotive and a semaphore.[1]
  • Inscription: MINISTERE DES TRAVAUX PUBLICS - CHEMINS DE FER (in English: MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS – RAILROADS).[1]

A 32mm in diameter circular silver or silver gilt medal. The design was from Charles-Maurice Favre-Bertin. The medal hung from a ribbon passing through a suspension ring itself passing through a barrel shaped suspension affixed to the top of the medal. The silk moiré ribbon was 36mm wide with seven equal vertical stripes of blue-white-red-white-blue-white-red.[11]

• On the obverse: the image of a steam locomotive main wheel.[11]
  • Inscription: MEDAILLE - DES - CHEMINOTS and the initials R – F (in English: RAILWAYMEN’S – MEDAL). The RF initials represented RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (in English: FRENCH REPUBLIC).[11]
• On the reverse: The image of a hand operating a railway crossing lever over a blank area for the recipient’s name.[11]

A 32mm in diameter bronze, silver gilt or gold circular medal. The design was from Georges Guiraud. The medal hung from a ribbon passing through a suspension ring itself passing through a barrel shaped suspension affixed the top of the medal. The silk moiré ribbon was 36mm wide with seven equal vertical stripes of blue-white-red-white-blue-white-red.[5]

• On the obverse: the effigy of the republic wearing a Phrygian cap in front of rails and framed by two laurel branches.
  • Inscription: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (in English FRENCH REPUBLIC).[5]
• On the reverse: the image of an electric locomotive and a steam locomotive on a higher rail, framed on the left by an olive branch and surmounting a blank area destined for the recipient’s name.[5]
  • Inscription: MEDAILLE D’HONNEUR DES CHEMINS DE FER (in English: HONOUR MEDAL FOR RAILROADS).[5]

The silver and silver gilt medals are 32mm in diameter, the gold level award is 36mm in diameter. The design was again from Georges Guiraud. The medal hangs from a ribbon passing through a T shaped suspension loop cast atop of the medal itself. The silk moiré ribbon, 36mm wide for the bronze and silver gilt grades and 38mm wide for the gold grade, has seven equal vertical stripes of blue-white-red-white-blue-white-red. A golden palm adorns the ribbon of the gold level award.[12]

• On the obverse: all three grades of the award although different in size, bear the same design. The effigy of the republic wearing a Phrygian cap in front of rails and framed by two laurel branches.[12]
  • Inscription: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (in English FRENCH REPUBLIC).[12]
• On the reverse: the image of a French TGV and a steam locomotive on a higher rail, framed on the left by an olive branch and surmounting a blank area destined for the recipient’s name.[12]
  • Inscription: MEDAILLE D’HONNEUR DES CHEMINS DE FER (in English: HONOUR MEDAL FOR RAILROADS).[12]