Item:
ON5117

Original WWII Free French Resistance FFI Armband

Item Description

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.

Due to lack of uniforms and equipment FFI fighters created armbands many with the Lorraine cross, colors of the French Flag and FFI in order to properly identify themselves to the various allied fighters moving throughout thier country. This example is of classic design of linen construction with three piece flag stitched to a 14 inch arm band. FFI is ink stamped across the front and overall condition is very good.

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