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FFI (Forces Francaises de l'Interieur) Badge


stratasfan
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Here is a newer addition to my prize collection of French Resistance items. Over the moon with this! It is a small badge with lugs and a pin on the back, as well as a number. This is the first FFI badge/pin that I've been able to acquire and is now a gem in my small-but-hopefully-growing collection!

 

The FFI was the name given to the Resistance fighters once the liberation of France started. There were a variety of FFI armbands, badges, pins, etc. made and worn during the end of WWII.

 

I've yet to find a picture of someone wearing one of these, though. If anyone has one, would love to see it!

 

post-185332-0-28377100-1542741168_thumb.jpg

 

post-185332-0-22780100-1542741164_thumb.jpg

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Hope you don't mind as here is another FFI badge that you see a number of for sale every now and then but like your FFI badge I have yet to see a photograph of anyone wearing one.

 

 

post-185261-0-91564800-1542928763.jpg

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Oh, really like that badge! what does the ship mean? I've seen this badge about a few times, but so far haven't gone after one yet. :)

 

Here is a small lapel version of the FFI badge. Would like to pick one of these up one time They aren't very pricey and usually not as wanted since they are not numbered, but very cool.

 

post-185332-0-46477000-1543243307.jpg

 

post-185332-0-97444400-1543243310.jpg

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I did a little checking and your badge in Post #1 is the only bona fide resistance fighters (Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur) award which was individually numbered to the recipient and came with a certificate. The certificates are rarer than the pins as most folks misplaced the certificate over the years. The FFI was recognized by General de Gaulle's government-in-exile in London. There was another resistance group which was not recognized and actually disproved of because they contained communists (FTP - Franc-Tireurs Partisans).

 

The FFI badge in Post #4 & #5 was actually worn by the 10th Infantry Division of the French Army. They were a WW1 Division that was reconstituted during WW2 in October of 1944 in the Nevers region of France from the FFI forces of the Paris region by General Pierre Billotte. They were integrated into the 1st Army of General Lattre de Tassigny. The 10th ID was involved in a number of clean up operations in France and Germany after D Day.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 years later...

Found this picture of one of these badges with no trace of colour, and thought I'd share it  . . . I'm assuming that this example lost the colour over the years versus being made without the colour. Usually you can see traces of the enamel left, but this one seems to have lost it all. Looks really cool, though!

 

FFI Badge no colour 1.jpg

 

 

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