National Union of Combatants (UNC) Medal – Georges Clémenceau and Daniel Brottier
In bronze
Weight: 201.3 g
Diameter: 72.7 mm
Obverse:
Adjoining busts facing the President of the Republic Georges Clemenceau and Father Daniel Brottier with the inscriptions:
PRÉSIDENT GEORGES CLEMENCEAU
BIENHEUREUX PÈRE DANIEL BROTTIER
Cornucopia punch (Paris Mint)
History: When the First World War broke out, and although he was exempt, Daniel Brottier volunteered as a military chaplain. He was attached to the 26th Infantry Division on August 26, 1914 and served in Lorraine, the Somme, Verdun and Flanders. He spent the entire war on the front lines without ever being wounded, a “miracle” that he attributed to Saint Therese of Lisieux because the Bishop of Dakar told him after the war that he had “secretly entrusted him to the protection of Therese of Lisieux” and that he had regularly prayed to the Carmelite to “protect his priest”. Cited three times in the Order of the Army (with palms), the last of which was on 29 June 1918, he had the opportunity to propose to Clemenceau to found the National Union of Combatants (“United as at the Front”) after the war. He was promoted to officer of the Legion of Honour and received the Croix de Guerre (six citations including three palms). He was beatified in 1984 by Pope John Paul II.
Reverse:
Circular inscription:
UNION NATIONALE DES COMBATTANTS
Cornucopia Punch .
Edge:
Blank without punching or marking.
