A First War Aef French Theatre Battles Matchbox Cover 1918 Hold Silvered bronze with a bronze

Silvered bronze with a bronze gilt inserted centrepiece

previously cleaned and in better than very fine condition

Cross measures 36 x 36mm

The order was created in 1874 became a French Colonial order in 1896

attached to HMS Vulcan on May 29

A First War Aef French Theatre Battles Matchbox Cover 1918 Hold Silvered bronze with a bronzeTwo piece construction, brass disk bearing a right facing Marianne, inscribed "REPUBLIQUE" at the left and "FRANAISE" at the right, affixed to the front panel of the thick brass base, spine engraved "R. Murphy", back panel engraved "SOMME VERDUN ARGONNE ST. MEHIEL 1918", with an almost full matchbox inside, contaning thirty matches, the matchbox marked with the Red Cross in the centre and inscribed "THE RED CROSS LICENSES SAFETY MATCH MADE BY NITEDALS