SSBM

The SSBM, the first Red Cross society in France, was established in 1866 and first served during the War of 1870. Continuing its efforts to help survivors of conflict, the SSBM provided aid to those whose lives were disrupted by World War I. The SSBM, merged with the ADF and UFF to form the Croix Rouge Francaise, the French National Red Cross Society, in 1940.

At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Coralie Cahen (Legion of Honor) became a central committee member of the "Dames de la Societe de Secours aux Blesses Militaires" (SSBM). Based at Metz, she developed an ambulance service (first aid - clearing station operation) dedicated to non-commissioned officers and ordinary soldiers (officers had their own service). She continued this work even while Metz was besieged (August–October 1870) by German forces. Leon Gambetta, French Minister of the Interior, subsequently requested her to support the Army of the Loire. She then assumed the role of managing the hospital at Vendome, one oof the main towns along the River Loire.

The Geneva Cross 1870-1871 was issued by the SSBM for service during the Franco-Prussian War or War of 1870, as it was also known. There are multiple variations: Type 1 is a dual sided version inscribed, 1870 SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE SECOURS 1871 on the obverse and BLESSES DES AMEES DE TERRE ET DE MER on the reverse and Type 2 is a single-sided version (shown here) inscribed on the obverse, 1870 SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE SECOURS AUX BLESSES DES ARMEES DE TERRE ET DE MER 1971. Custom versions exist in gold and silver.

In 1901, after receiving her diploma, Ines de Bourgoing joined the Societe de Secours aux Blesses Militaires (SSBM), forerunner of the French Red Cross, as a volunteer and began working at the Beaujon Hospital in Paris. As a result of her competence and the understanding she showed to both patients and doctors, she was appointed president of the SSBM. In 1907, she sailed for Morocco with the French expeditionary force under General Antoine Marius Benoît Drude. As head of a team of SSBM volunteers, she established an infirmary in Casablanca to treat the wounded from the conflict between the French and Moroccans. During World War I, she served as a supervisor at the famous military Hospital Val-de-Grace (1796-2016), known as Le Val, in Paris, France.

There are also non-portable recognition medals, which are issued in three grades (gold, silver and bronze). These medals are not specific to any war or conflict. Many of the non-portable commemorative medals were issued by individual hospitals to recognize individual or group accomplishments.

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