Dublin Core
Title
Alice Henderson's membership badge French Society for the Aid of Wounded Servicemen
Alternative Title
Médaille de la Société Française de Secours aux Blessés Militaires
Description
After her 1914-1915 service with the Red Cross Mercy Ship expedition in Pau, Alice Henderson remained in France serving with the American Fund for the French Wounded for which she was awarded service and recognition medals.
This particular medal is a membership badge worn by female members of the Societe de Secours aux Blesses militaries (S.S.B.M.) [translates to the French Society for the Help of Wounded Servicemen] with a rectangular area on the reverse for engraving the membership number of the badge’s owner. Silvered metal oval medal featuring bas-relief scene of a woman caring for a wounded soldier with a cross in the background on the front; suspensions has the letters “S.B” in raised print; suspended from a white ribbon embroidered with a red cross; attached at the top (unlikely to be original to the piece) is an embroidered ribbon bar pin in the colors of the French flag: blue, white and red. Inscriptions Front: “PATRIE DEVOUEMENT” around the rim and signed “Bottee”; Back: “SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE SECOURS AUX BLESSES MILITAIRES 1864 1866” in raised lettering. On the back of the ribbon bar pin is a paper label reading: “E.M. Bte SGDG”
The marking on the ribbon bar’s label are an abbreviation found on items made in France; “Bte” is short for “brevete” meaning “patented” and “S.G.D.G.” is short for “Sans Garantie du Gouvernement” meaning “without government guarantee.”
This particular medal is a membership badge worn by female members of the Societe de Secours aux Blesses militaries (S.S.B.M.) [translates to the French Society for the Help of Wounded Servicemen] with a rectangular area on the reverse for engraving the membership number of the badge’s owner. Silvered metal oval medal featuring bas-relief scene of a woman caring for a wounded soldier with a cross in the background on the front; suspensions has the letters “S.B” in raised print; suspended from a white ribbon embroidered with a red cross; attached at the top (unlikely to be original to the piece) is an embroidered ribbon bar pin in the colors of the French flag: blue, white and red. Inscriptions Front: “PATRIE DEVOUEMENT” around the rim and signed “Bottee”; Back: “SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE SECOURS AUX BLESSES MILITAIRES 1864 1866” in raised lettering. On the back of the ribbon bar pin is a paper label reading: “E.M. Bte SGDG”
The marking on the ribbon bar’s label are an abbreviation found on items made in France; “Bte” is short for “brevete” meaning “patented” and “S.G.D.G.” is short for “Sans Garantie du Gouvernement” meaning “without government guarantee.”
Creator
Botteea
Date
1915-1917
Is Part Of
Format
Diameter: 1 in
Length: 3.5 in
Length: 3.5 in
Identifier
Artifact 705A