WWII Medal ID

Hi all,

I'm populating information on the attached photograph by Leonard Freed, taken during the 1976 commemoration of the Battle of Verdun. While in Verdun, he mostly photographed WWI veterans who were quite old by 1976. The French Ministry of Defense website says, “The commemoration of 1976 was not of such great importance. With Valery Giscard d'Estaing a new generation of political men emerged, who had not experienced the fighting of the Great War. They tended to put the emphasis more on the Second World War, although for those who had preceded them the 1914-1918 war still represented the major reference for remembrance. In addition, eyewitnesses began to become scarcer and the weight of ex-servicemen from the Great War significantly diminished.”

I'm sure the man on the right is too young to be a WWI veteran, but can any of you confirm what war he might have fought in based on his badges? It seems most likely that he would be a WWII vet, or perhaps a vet of Indochina or Algeria.

Thanks,
Nolan

 

I don't know much about French medals but I think this link might help you. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders,_decorations,_and_medals_of_France

 

Thanks for your help! I tried looking at that wiki page a few days ago, but I wasn't able to find any of those medals on the uniform of the soldier on the right. Does anyone have a guess at what the topmost checkered medal could be? That appears to be the most legible medal. I wish the photo was in color!

 

looking at that pic & the wiki page.
I'd say
top row far left is this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volunteer_combatant%27s_cross

top row middle is
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combatant%27s_Cross

bottom left
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina_Campaign_commemorative_medal

 

Medals are from the 1950s : Engagé volontaire, croix du combattant, médaille colonaile . He also has a nato medal and and the Indochina one.

This officer is an officer who enlisted the army as a volonteer in the early 1950s and should have been about 44 years old in 1976. So he was a Vet of the Indochina war and must have been invited as such.

http://www.france-phaleristique.com/tableau.htm

 

Thanks everyone!

 

I identified the European confedaeration veteran medal as well . He is wearing it under the other ones.