French Syria-Cilicia and Levant Medal Accession Number: RELAWM14790

Description

Syria-Cilicia and Levant Medal with the bar 'LEVANT'. Unnamed as issued. Obverse: The bust of La Republique facing left wearing a helmet that has an oak leaf wreath, and 'REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE' around the circumference. The engravers name is at the base. Reverse: A fort, flags, field gun and an anchor, under the inscription 'LEVANT'. One of the flags is inscribed 'HONNEUR ET PATRIE SYRIE CILICIE' on four lines. The medal is fitted with a loose ornate suspender formed fromlaurel branches and a crescent moon. A piece of 37 mm white ribbon with horizontal light blue wavy lines is attached to the suspender. The bronze bar is threaded onto the ribbon.

Contextual Description

Instituted on 18 July 1922 and awarded to the French forces that had taken part in the military operations in Syria and Cilicia - territories which before 1918 had been part of the Ottoman Empire, but with the defeat of the Turks had been passed to French control. The medal was reissued during the Second World War by both the Vichy Government (with the addition of a bar) and the Free French Forces 1 (as the Levant Medal ) for service in the same area. The bars issued in the ornate or 'eastern' style were: 'LEVANT' (a bronze bar, for service between 11 November 1918 and 20 October 1921), 'LEVANT 1925 - 1926' (a gilt bar, for service between 21 July 1925 and the 30 September 1926) and 'LEVANT 1941' (a bar in silver issued to Vichy forces). 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.