French Military Medal Napoleon Crimea Period . WM165

French Military Medal. I believe this one is an early 2nd French Empire version 1st type 1852-1870 from the Napoleon Crimea Period. Worn condition.   Additional Notes: The French Military Medal ranks second to all French decorations, giving precedence only to the Legion of Honor. It was created by Napoleon in January of 1852 and was intended for non-commissioned officers and soldiers. It may be awarded for completion of 8 years of military service, on receipt of a citation, for being wounded in combat and for acts of courage and devotion to duty. There have been successively 9 main types and some specialists point to more than 30 variants as a result of differences in manufacturer.   See below in the Description area for a short video.   See Additional Information for shipping dimensions.