FI08 PENITENTIARY SERVICE MEDAL
  Médaille d'Honneur de l'Administration Pénitentiaire
three classes (?) – established August 21, 1917
  For: officials of the Prison Service in Indochina for twenty years service, at least ten of which were in the colonial service, or for acts of courage or devotion in their functions, or for civil officials for merit in the transport of prisoners
  Design: round breast badge, bronze / silver / gold, 27mm across, with suspension ribbon
    Obverse: wearing a liberty cap and wreath, the head of a woman symbolic of the Republic facing left, with the inscription around "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE";
    Reverse: an ornate scroll inscribed "HONNEUR ET DISCIPLINE" with above branches of different leaves, and above that the inscription "MINISTERE DES COLONIES" or "INDO-CHINE";
    Suspension: fixed suspension of a wreath and a bundle of fasces, either 16mm or 20mm across
  Ribbon: blue 1mm, white 1mm, red 1mm, light blue 29mm, red 1mm, white 1mm, blue 1mm

Except for the inscription INDO-CHINE, this is identical to the Medaille d'Honneur Penitentiaire Coloniale created October 27, 1898, by the Ministry of Colonies. It is the standard design by Roty, the same as that for the Honor Medal of the Government General except for the suspension. It was manufactured by Arthus Bertrand.

Penitentiary Service Medal
FI08 Gold with silver suspension - Ministere des Colonies
obverse with "A. DESAIDI. EDIT." and "O. Roty" marks

Penitentiary Service Medal
maker marks - Arthus Bertrand & OR (gold)

Penitentiary Service Medal
FI08 Gold (Vermiel) with silver suspension - Ministere des Colonies
obverse with "A. DESAIDI. EDIT." and "O. Roty" marks

Penitentiary Service Medal
FI08 Silver - Ministere des Colonies - possibly made by Delande
obverse with "A. DESAIDI. EDIT" and "O. Roty" marks

Penitentiary Service Medal
FI08 Silver - Indo-Chine
observe without "A. DESAIDI. EDIT". but with "O. Roty" marks

Penitentiary Service Medal
FI08 Silver - Ministere des Colonies - to NG HONG AN 25 March 1929
observe with "A. DESAIDI. EDIT." mark
reverse with "Arthus Bertrand" bottom right
(ex-collection Sylvester)

(This medal was awarded originally by decree from the Governer General of Indochina on 25 March 1929 as an Honor Medal Silver 1st class to "Nguyên-hong-An surveillant-chef hors classe à Baria" - a supervisor-chief perhaps at the famous Con Dao island prison Poulo Condore in the Ba Ria province. Perhaps later the Silver 1st class gold suspension was removed and replaced with the penitentiary suspension.)

As noted earlier, possibly the Honor Medal was used with this ribbon as an expedient during the period when Indochina was cut off from the Metropole. An example was shown in the catalogue for the Maison Platt auction of May 26, 1986, with an unofficial bar inscribed POULO CONDORE, undoubtedly for a warden who served at that famous island prison.

Penitentiary Service Medal

Penitentiary Service Medal
FI08 Silver - Version with POULO CONDORE bar
ex Maison Platt Auction May 26, 1986 (Collection de Monsieur J.P.L.)