WW2 VICHY FRENCH ‘CHANTIERS DE LA JEUNESSE FRANCAISE’ INSIGNIA UNIFORM PATCH – REALLY INTERESTING

Description

Offered is an original embroidered Vichy French insignia patch, 68mm x 80mm, depicting the initials ‘CJF’ for ‘Chantiers de la Jeunesse Francaise’ (‘Campsites of the French Youth’), beneath a French flag before a rising sun, al between two stylized pillars on a blue ground. Does not glow under blacklight. Shows some soiling, else very good.

The CJF was a Vichy French youth organization similar to the German HJ, founded as a means for young Frenchmen to complete their compulsory military service after the Armistice with Germany. The organization’s leaders later claimed that they intended to provide military training in case of resumed hostilities against Germany, but in practice, many CJF members were sent to Germany as compulsory labourers.