CM28 COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL FOR THE ROYAL CRUSADE FOR INDEPENDENCE
  Medaille Commemorative de la Croisade Royale pour l'Independence
(Meday Preah Reach Bochniykech Teamtear Ekrach)
established November 17 and December 21, 1964
  For: effective participation in the Royal Crusade through the Vital Forces Movement
  Design: square breast badge, gold, 35mm across, with suspension ribbon
    Obverse: in the center a crossed sword and rifle with a brush pen, with ornamental edges and corners, and above a small Royal crown with rays from the peak, with the fixed protruding top constituting a small figure of the seated Buddha with rays from the peak;
    Reverse: a Khmer inscription "A symbol in commemoration of National Independence 1953" with a stylized wreath design around the edge; another variation is plain
  Ribbon: 37mm; twenty-three equal stripes, the three at the edge being blue, red, blue, and then nine bright green and eight red, each stripe being 1.6mm
  Device: on the suspension ribbon and service bar, awarded depending on the class, with:
      - diamond palm
      - emerald palm
      - gold palm
      - gold star
      - silver star
      - bronze star

The Vital Forces Movement, "Movement Forces Vives du Cambodge", was Sihanouk's successful effort to persuade Cambodian officers to defect from the French Command and join his movement for full independence from France. The medal had exceptional rank in the order of precedence. A report states that on Nov. 29, 1969, Lt. Gen. Nhiek Tioulang presented 53 soldiers in Kampot with this medal.

This medal is very rare.

Medal Crusade for Independence
CM28 Commemorative Medal for the Royal Crusade for Independence (Sylvester coll)

 

Medal Crusade for Independence Plain Rev
CM28 Medal with Plain Reverse		 Medal Crusade for Independence Inscripted Rev
CM28 Medal with Khmer Inscription on Reverse
Medal Crusade for Independence Plain Mark
Maker Stamp on Reverse

 

Medal Crusade for Independence Inscription
Inscription on Reverse

 

Medal Crusade for Independence
CM28 Reverse