Original WWII Free French Resistance FFI 10th Infantry Division Badge by Arthus Bertrand of Paris

Original Item: Only One Available. FFI or French Forces of the Interior (French: Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur) refers to French resistance fighters in the later stages of World War II. Charles de Gaulle used it as a formal name for the resistance fighters. The change in designation of these groups to FFI occurred as France's status changed from that of an occupied nation to one of a nation being liberated by the Allied armies. As regions of France were liberated, the FFI were more formally organized into light infantry units and served as a valuable manpower addition to regular Free French forces. In this role, the FFI units manned less active areas of the front lines, allowing regular French army units to practice economy of force measures and mass their troops in decisive areas of the front. Finally, from October 1944 and with the greater part of France liberated, the FFI units were amalgamated into the French regular forces continuing the fight on the Western Front, thus ending the era of the French irregulars in World War II. This is a fantastic FFI marked Free French 10th Infantry Division Badge, maker marked on the back by ARTHUS BERTRAND / PARIS, which was made after after the liberation of Paris in August 1944. It is marked with serial number 11566 on the reverse along with a functional pinback, and is in great condition. It measures 1 ½" in diameter, and shows a sailing ship on the front, with a blue enamel Croix de Lorraine (Cross of Lorraine) on the central sail. The 10th Infantry Division was originally constituted in 1873, and existed through WWI until the French Capitulation in the early days of WWII. After the Normandy landings, the division was reconstituted, mainly of troops of Parisian FFI/Francs-Tireurs and Partisans (French Communists) origin, on 1 October 1944, in the Nevers region under the command of General Pierre Billotte. The division would become part of the French LIberation Army and see action in the final liberation of the Colmar Pocket. After this it was moved to the Atlantic Coast to help root out the last German forces around the "Atlantic Pockets" surrounding the major French ports. A great piece of WWII militaria from the last days of WWII. Ready to add to your collection and display!