FRENCH W II MARSHALL PETAIN VICHY FRENCH BODYGUARDS TRUMPET BANNER.

A very rare item from the era of Vichy France being a double sided beautifully embroidered trumpet banner measuring 36cm x 30cm with extended silver fringe on the three lower sides, with its three attachment tapes for fitting to a trumpet. Embroidered to the centre with the axe heads in the French colours, with the letters EF. No moth damage to the flag. Henri Philippe Petain born April 1856 died July 1951, known as the Lion of Verdun, was a hero of France and a Marshall of France at the end of WWI. At the fall of France in 1940 Petain was appointed President of the Ministerial Council, Petain became a puppet of the German Military Administration and was the leader of Vichy France. Originally tried and convicted of treason he was sentenced to death but due to his age and WWI service his sentence was commuted to life in prison, he died in 1951. The Garde du Marchal was Petains personal bodyguard consisted of about 1,000 specially selected former NCOs with distinguished war records, they wore the horizon blue uniform of the French Army of the First World War and have a collar badge in the identical form of this trumpet banner. Letter EF indicating Etat Francais.

Code: 74421