Vichy French

[English Bill]

Could the members give any information on this item. Is it real, what was its purpose and what is its value, in £

[Feuerbach]

The badge appears to have the tri-color, and the winged Gallo Roman helmet, the symbols used by the Vichy regime in France, but the badge itself I have never seen before.
Aude is a department in the south, part of the Languedoc, and the badge has the shields of Carcasonne, Limoux and Narbonne, the three arrondiments of Aude.
The fourth shield I do not know. On the back ground one can see grapes and wine yard leaves, as Aude is a wine area.
Aude was part of the free zone during the war, and even when that pact was overthrown the Vichy regime was not very populair in Aude. So to me it a little strange to see a Vichy patch from Aude itself, but I must say I have found Vichy stuff all over France, even in the South.
Can't tell you if it is a time period piece, but having said that no Vichy stuff was produced in France after the war. Up untill today its a big taboo.
So where did you pick it up, and whats the story behind this interesting piece?
Vichy stuff is becoming populair for collectors, and they do produce fakes outside France, thats why I ask where you found this badge.

[Feuerbach]

Hmm oke, just had a look in a book and its not Vichy, but LFC (Légion française des combattants). The difference is the sword behind the shield, and the LFC was a (para)military branch of the Vichy regime. There are six different patches, yours is also pictured.
Now knowing this I wouls say there is a very good chance of your badge being real.

[English Bill]

Your information is appreciated. The badge is an area badge, or district badge. Members from the area you stated would have worn it on their uniform ? Was the LFC connected to the Milice or is it a none active group ?

[Feuerbach]

From what I understand the LFC was the armed force of the Vichy regime. They would ware the patch on the sleeve of their uniform.

[English Bill]

Were these people involved in anti resistance work, or rounding up aliens or jewish people ? From what I understand many people involved with Vichy went on to work under De Gaulle so were the slates wiped clean or erased ?

[Feuerbach]

Well Aude was a area with much resistance. The landscape was perfect to hide, mountains and close to the Spanish border. I know of a large stash of German weapons that have been discovered hidden in the mountains by the resistance. It was discovered only a few years ago on a plateau near the village of Villeseque des Corbieres, in the middle of Aude.
The Vichy were not very populair in Aude, at least that is what they say now, but I wasn't around during the war, and of course no one would tell if they, or their family was a member of the Vichy regime or a LFC fighter. Like I said its still a big taboo even to talk about the matter. I once joked when I was helping a French lady move from the Vichy area (the city of Vichy that is) to the south. I joked and asked if the French gouverment was still bassed in Vichy, but that joke didn't go down well.
There is a concentration camp in Aude, and the guards were mainly LFC. The coast line of Aude was deffended by Russian soldiers in WH service.
If you like I will send you some pictures of Aude during the war.
Its true the main task of the LFC was to hunt down resistance, and to prevent sabotage of factorys and rail roads. From Aude there was a train track built to Poland Auschwitz. There is a museum in Lezignan, I think they would be very interested in your badge, as I know they don't have it in their collection.

[English Bill]

So what you are saying is that these people from the LFC, were in their own right tools of the Vichy state......cruel when needed.

[Eric Zentner]

Looks like an old vet gathering badge from that Era to me .
With sword is for legionnaire.And with out is for Volunteers of the revolution?

[Eric Zentner]

Here is a few from the R.N.P I have.Rassemblement national populaire


Eric