Small Medals for the Largest Battle
Historians consider the 1916 Battle of Verdun in northeast France as the longest single battle of WWI. Prior to the massive conflagration, the French city of Verdun represented historical significance to the nation. The French reinforced the area around Verdun with twenty major forts as well as numerous smaller ones along the eastern border of the nation.
Chief of the German General Staff Erich von Falkenhayn rationalized initiating the battle in a memo sent on Christmas, 1915. He determined he could inflict maximum casualties on the French by forcing a battle that would require them to defend the area around Verdun.
The battle opened on February 21, 1916, when more than 12,200 German guns opened fire on an eight mile perimeter around Verdun. The ensuing stalemate in the trenches would suck in three fourths of French divisions to serve there.
Within six weeks, the Germans walked into an undefended Fort Douaumont, marking the low point in the battle for the French. They were forced into an impromptu — but successful — defense of the area, utilizing shell holes and trenches for cover.
While many French prisoners were taken during the course of the battle, Falkenhayn did not achieve the five to two kill ratio he promised in Christmas memo that would force the French army to bleed to death. Having underestimated the French defense, the battle degenerated into a terrible carnage on both sides. By April 1916, the French had suffered 133,000 casualties. The Germans had lost more than 120,000.
By late spring, the battles around Verdun continued to rage. On June 1, 1916, the Germans launched a massive attack on Verdun, advancing to within 2 miles of the city’s cathedral.
At this time, however, the British opened a battle for the Somme that would dominate the area. The German Army had given all that it had — and yet, their attack faltered. By July 14, the Germans called off their offensive, and Falkenhayn was dismissed. The French recaptured many of their forts and, by December, the German’s efforts ground to a halt. This was after 600,000 to 700,000 German and French troops were lost (in equal proportions), however.
COMMEMORATING A BATTLE
As the situation at Verdun improved, it was decided an unofficial French commemorative medal would be issued. Whereas the French government issued campaign medals, it did not issue medals for battles or events within a campaign. For this reason, any Verdun medal is considered a commemorative medal issued by the City of Verdun as a gesture of honoring the courageous soldiers who saved the city.
In November 1916, the Mayor of Verdun instituted the design of a medal to be awarded to veterans of the French or Allied armies who served between July 31, 1914, and November 11, 1918, in the Verdun sector between the Argonne and Saint-Mihel. Where confusion arises for collectors is that the official medal was designed by S.E. Vernier. While it is the most commonly found version of a Verdun medal, many other engravers saw fit to produce their own designs that were commercially available (rather than given by the City of Verdun). At least 8 different wearable versions as well as table medals exist that can be collectively called “Verdun Medals.”
A later, wearable Vernier medal ( 26.5 mm diameter) was suspended from a ribbon comprised of the French national colors,red, white, and blue. The obverse of the wearable version did not have the “1917” date as did the unwearable variety. Many of the wearable Vernier medals were presented in small red boxes marked “Medaille de Verdun” in gold letters.
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from SUMSERBROWN, January 6, 2023
Around 70% of all the French soldiers that were engaged in World War I participated to the battle of Verdun. Six or seven different designs were put forward for the medal but none were approved by the French Government and all remained unofficial awards that could not be worn on military uniform.
Originally intended to be “awarded to those who served on the Verdun front between 21 February 1916 and 2 November 1916, the medal was, in fact, awarded to those who served anywhere on the Argonne and St Mihiel sectors between 31 July 1914 and 11 November 1918 and can be found in some medal groups from non-French soldiers, eg US participants.
The medal is fitted with a loose ring suspender and a piece of 37 mm red ribbon that has blue-white-red edges.
The original, and most commonly found, version was by Vernier but since supplies of this medal were inadequate, others created Verdun medals and at least seven versions of varying rarity are known. Some of the versions themselves have different variants, eg on the suspension or the bar.
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Émile-Séraphin Vernier was born in Paris on 16 October 1852.When he was aged 13 he was apprenticed to Poussielgue-Rusand, for whom he worked from 1865 to 1869.He studied sculpture, metal engraving and metal chasing. Vernier made jewelry for Bapst & Falize(1877–87), Froment-Meurice (1882–85), Vever (1888–92), Sandoz and Fonsèque et Olive.He was one of the first to apply the techniques of medal engraving to making jewelry.Vernier was distinguished as a sculptor, and was commissioned to make numerous commemorative plaques.His metal engravings also included allegorical subjects and architectural views.
Vernier first exhibited in Paris at the 1876 Salon. The 1886 Salon gave him an honorable mention, and he received an honorable mention at the Exposition Universelle (1889).He was esteemed as a lecturer on the goldsmith's art. Around the end of 1888 Vernier began to devote himself to making medals, which were used in brooches and pendants. In 1896–97 the French government gave him a special mission to Cairo to study the work of the antique Egyptian goldsmiths and jewelers. For his memoir on this subject the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettresgave him the prix Delalande-Guerineau. Vernier received a bronze medal at the Exposition Universelle (1900).
Vernier was made a Chevalier of theLegion of Honor in 1903 and an officer in 1911. He was a Member of the Council of the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts.In 1905 he was elected president of the Société des artistes décorateurs for a five-year term.Vernier joined theInstitut Francais d'Archeologie Orientale in Cairo as a jewelry expert.In his catalog of jewelry and plates (Bijoux Et Orfèvreries) in the Cairo Museum,published in 1907–27, he described the way in which the gold objects in the museum had been made.This included descriptions of pre-dynasticobjects found at Hierakonpolis,some of which had disintegrated when being cleaned.
Émile Vernier died in Paris on 9 September 1927. His work is held in many museums in Europe and North America.
