Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom group of four attributed to Monsieur Frederic Fortoul

France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, 5th Class breast badge, silver, gold and enamel, enamel damage; Croix de Guerre 1939-1945; Resistance Medal, these mounted together for wear, good fine and better; together with a King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom, unnamed, in Royal Mint case of issue, this last extremely fine (4) £500-600

Frédéric Pierre Gardel Henri Fortoul was born in Toulon in 1910. Dismissed from the Military Academy at La Flèche for inciting rebelliousness. Founder of a small Gaullist group in 1942, ‘The Liberation of the Var’. Arrested on 13 August 1942 for producing Gaullist propaganda leaflets and on 1 October 1942 sentenced to 6 months in prison. Upon his release he became a member of the guerilla fighters. Became the departmental chief after the arrest of Uhlmann and the Toulon regional chief in June 1943. Member of the Regional Directory of the M.U.R. in the Summer of 1943 until the ‘Liberation’, responsible for maquis activities, underground resistance fighters, parachute drops etc. Settled in Méounes in the Spring of 1944. Arrested in Thèze, near to Sisteron and held, 24-30 July 1944. Returned to Méounes where he participated in the ‘Liberation’ and the setting up of resistance municipalities.

Was one of the founders of the Pionniers de la Résistance in 1945 and was general secretary and editor of their journal. Was President of Médailles de la Résistance organisation and founder of l’Union Nationale Collectiviste Party in February 1945 which merged with the French Labour Party. Candidate for the ‘Mouvement Français du Travail in June 1945. Joined the Gaullist Union in October 1946. Author of Doctrine des Nations Collectivistes (1939) and Le Capital Humain (1958).

The King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom with original type-written letter to accompany the medal from the British Embassy, Paris, dated 10 February 1949, addressed to Monsieur Fortoul, 12 rue de l’Abbé de l’Epée, Toulon’. Together with an extract from, Biographies de Resistants, by Jean-Marie Guillon, with an approximate English translation, giving Fortoul’s wartime services.