Circular bronze medal with laterally-pierced ball suspension; the face with a female head wearing a Phrygian bonnet crowned in oak and laurel, representative of the French Republic, circumscribed ‘REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE’ and signed ‘MORLON’ (for the great French engraver and medallist Pierre-Alexandre Morlon, 1878-1951); the reverse with a winged propeller imposed on a radiant rising sun, laurel and oak branches to either side, a plaque with the attribution ‘D. CYBARD 1978’ above, circumscribed ‘AERONAUTIQUE TRAVAIL DEVOUEMENT HONNEUR (Aviation Work Dedication Honour); on original ribbon mounted for wear in the French style and with bronze winged letter ‘A’ device.
The Medal was created on 12 January 1921 to reward civil aviators for long service and acts of courage and devotion. Today, it is awarded in four grades to civilians by the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Civil Aviation and Meteorology.
The bronze medal is awarded for 25 years’ service or an act of bravery or outstanding service.
This, the second version of the medal, was introduced on 17 February 1932 and superseded on 2 November 1978.
|