Miniature circular bronze medal with laterally-pierced ball suspension; the face with a red enamel rayed five-pointed star imposed centrally within a laurel wreath; the reverse plain; the enamel replaced; diameter 13.25mm (0.52 inch); on original age-faded ribbon. The medal was established on 27 July 1916 for military wounded in combat or who suffered injury in service by accident or illness. There is some discussion, based on an interpretation of both a Circular of the Chamber of Deputies of 11 December 1916 and article 2 of the law of 8 November 1952, whether this award should be an insignia or a medal. It has been argued that it is a variant of the white-starred medal for civil wounded and that the original intention was for a five-pointed red star insignia to be worn on the ribbon of the campaign medal concerned. However, generations of former soldiers wounded in action have worn the decoration as a medal and it is generally accepted as such.
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