La Roche Victory Medal

The La Roche Victory Medal was a campaign decoration of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen for personnel assigned to the operation to capture La Roche. Its official names were La-Roche-Siegesmedaille in German and Medalla de la Victoria de La Roche in Spanish.

Jan Paap established it as one of six separate conquest campaign medals under the Führer Decree on the Decorations of the Conquest, issued on 31 December 1944. The decree recognized service during the completed conquest.

Eligibility

Combat and essential support assignments to the operation qualified through the city's capture. Participation required certification through the chain of command. Combat and command duties qualified alongside medical work, transport, communications and logistics. Personnel killed or wounded during the campaign qualified automatically, as did those decorated for bravery during it.

The La Roche operation opened the Central campaign. Its personnel could qualify for both the Victory Medal and the Central Narevaku Campaign Medal, which covered the campaign through consolidation of the Central Division.

Insignia

The circular medal shared the conquest series' obverse, showing the Tanoan state eagle holding a palm wreath containing a swastika. Its reverse showed a large swastika within a palm-and-laurel wreath, surrounded by SIEG VON LA ROCHE. The ribbon was red with one narrow white centre stripe.

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of the Tanoa Einsatzgruppen