Gilt bronze cross pattée, the arms with hatched grounds, imposed on crossed swords, with integral loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a circular central medallion bearing a scene of trench warfare, a bugler in the foreground, soldiers with bayonets fixed beyond, inscribed ‘JOURNEE’, ‘DU POILU’ and dated ‘1915’ on the ends of the left, right and lower arms respectively, signed ‘H. Bargas’ for the great French Art Deco sculptor Henri Bargas; the reverse inscribed ‘LA MARNE 1914 / YSER 1915 / VERDUN / LA SOMME / 1916’, crossed sprigs of laurel above; on replaced correct narrow ribbon in the French national colours.
The Days of the Common Soldier were organised by the French parliament during World War I to raise funds for the welfare of ordinary soldiers through a series of fund-raising events.
Those who gave significant sums would have received a prestigious insignia such as this which is known to have been produced in bronze, silvered bronze and gilt, as here.
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