FI03 HONOR MEDAL OF THE GOVERNMENT GENERAL
  Médaille d'Honneur du Gouvernement Général pour Actes de Courage et de Dévouement
four (then possibly five) classes - April 21, 1891 / January 22, 1902 / October 20, 1911 / July 2, 1935 / August 28, 1936
  For: acts of courage and devotion on the part of natives of Indochina

The Honor Medal of Courage and Devotion was awarded in Indochina in various forms. The early medals in use before 1900 were designed by Barre and similar to the regular French honor medals - see here.

3/B Roty Design of 1896
  Design: round breast badge, 27mm across, with suspension ribbon
    Obverse: wearing a Liberty cap and wreath, the head of a woman symbolic of the Republic facing left, with the inscription around "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE";
    Reverse: an ornate scroll inscribed "HONNEUR ET DISCIPLINE" with above branches of different leaves, and above that the inscription “MINISTÈRE DES COLONIES” or "INDO-CHINE";
    Suspension: fixed wreath
  Ribbon: blue 10mm, white 10mm, red 10mm

The Roty design of the medal was awarded in Indochina starting in 1896 thru 1954. There are types with the inscription on the reverse either "MINISTÈRE DES COLONIES" or "INDO-CHINE". The "MINISTÈRE DES COLONIES" version was also used by the Ministery of Colonies elsewhere in the colonies, however when awarded in Indochina it was managed locally by the Governer General of Indochina. Another type with the inscription "MINISTÈRE DE LA FRANCE D'OUTRE-MER" also exists, but it is not yet known if it was issued in Indochina or not.

The "MINISTÈRE DES COLONIES" version usually has the recipients' names engraved in the rectangular blank on the reverse. For more named examples of the Ministere des Colonies version, see Honor Medal of the Government General - Named Examples


3/Bi/3 Early Roty Type
  Design: Finer leaves suspension, with bar top

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Ministere des Colonies - Early Type

3/B/1 First Class Gold
  Design: awarded in gold

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Gold 1st Class (Vermiel) - Indo-Chine - by Arthus Bertrand

3/B/2 Second Class Gold
  Design: awarded in gold with the suspension in silver

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Gold 2nd Class - Ministere des Colonies - by Arthus Bertrand

3/B/3 First Class Silver
  Design: awarded in silver with the suspension in gold

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 1st Class - Ministere des Colonies
(manufactured by Delande ?)

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 1st Class - Indo-Chine

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 1st Class - Indo-Chine
without "A. DESAIDI EDIT" on obverse

3/B/4 Second Class Silver
  Design: awarded in silver

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 2nd Class - Ministere des Colonies

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 2nd Class - Ministere des Colonies
with "A. DESAIDI EDIT" on reverse instead of "ARTHUS BERTRAND"

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 2nd Class - Indo-Chine

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 2nd Class - Indo-Chine - Miniature

3/B/5 Bronze
  Design: awarded in bronze

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Bronze - Ministere des Colonies

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Bronze - Indo-Chine

3/B/V Version (probably locally manufactured in Indochina)
  Design: more crudely made, 29mm, with scroll on reverse left blank for engraving of name of recipient

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 1st class - Indo-chine - Private Manufacture

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver 2nd class - Indo-chine - Private Manufacture

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver - Indochine - Private Manufacture

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver - Ministere des Colonies - Private Manufacturer

3/B/V2 Version (probably locally manufactured in Indochina)
  Design: more crudely made, 28mm, with scroll on reverse left blank for engraving of name of recipient, with ball suspension

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Silver - Ministere des Colonies - Private Manufacturer with ball suspension

It is possible that the badge of the Roty Design was manufactured in Indochina and used for other French Indochina awards also during the war period when it was cut off from the Metropole. The 1986 Maison Platt auction of the J.P.L collection pictures one with the ribbon of the Penitentiary Service Medal and with an unofficial bar PUOLO CONDORE. Another medal has been observed in silver with Roty design and inscription INDO-CHINE found without the suspension wreath (just a small ball for the ring), and with the horizontal red, white, and blue ribbon, which was identified as the Indochina Medal for Workers . It may be speculated that the authorities used this locally manufactured Roty Design when the supply of proper badges for the awards was exhausted -- or they just may be fantasy pieces.


3/B/V3 Version Ministere de la France d'Outre-Mer
  Design: as above, with "MINISTERE DE LA FRANCE D'OUTRE-MER" on reverse.

It is not known if this medal uas used in Indochina.

The Ministere des Colonies was changed to Ministere de la France d'Outre-Mer 25 November 1945. That title was changed 8 January 1959 to "Minstère délégué auprès du Premier ministre chargé du Sahara, des DOM-TOM et de l'Energie atomique". It became the present Ministere des DOM-TOM 14 April 1962.

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design - Gold (gilt) - 1st Class- Ministere de la France d'Outre Mer
(collection P. Dèmogé)

Honor Medal
FI03 Roty Design- Silver - 2nd Class- Ministere de la France d'Outre Mer
(Hallmarked : Arthus-Bertrand ARGENT and boar's head)
(collection P. Dèmogé)


3/C Third Design
  Design: round breast badge, 27mm across, with suspension ribbon
    Obverse: as above, but design by E. Rivet;
    Reverse: as above with some notable differences in the scroll and folliage;
    Suspension: fixed wreath
  Ribbon: blue 10mm, white 10mm, red 10mm

The third design by Rivet is apparently rare.


3/C/1 Silver
  Design: awarded in silver

Honor Medal
FI03 Rivit Design - Silver - Indo-Chine - Design by Rivet

3/C/2 Bronze
  Design: awarded in bronze

Honor Medal
FI03 Rivit Design - Bronze - Indo-Chine - Design by Rivet