Awarded to Captain Charles William Thomas CBE, RN (1854-1935). Obverse: In the centre, the head of the Republic. Inscription: 'REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE 1870'. Reverse: In centre, crossed tricolours. Inscription: 'HONNEUR ET PATRIE'. Suspended from a watered silk red ribbon. Mounted on a bar (court style) with four other medals

Charles William Thomas was born in St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. He entered the Royal Navy as a naval cadet on 9 April 1867 and was promoted Lieutenant on 28 July 1869. He served in HMS ‘Northumberland’ in Egyptian waters during the Egyptian campaign of 1882. Thomas was further promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December 1892. He was Inspecting Commander of the Sunderland Division of the Coastguard before his retirement with the rank of Captain in 1902. During World War I, he was re-employed on the transport staff. From 4 April 1916, he was transferred to Cherbourg as Naval Transport Officer. On 7 April 1918, he was Mentioned in Dispatches for …’distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty as Naval Transport Officer, Cherbourg’. He was made a Commander of the British Empire, invested on the 10 July 1919. His other awards – the Legion of Honour and Commander of the Order of Avis were granted at the same time.

Thomas married Mary Constance Pike in 1891, they had two daughters.