The North Vietnam Commandos were a special unit of the French Expeditionary Force in the Far East that were created in Indochina by General de Lattre de Tassigny. The commandos operated from September 1951 to July 1954 from North Vietnam (formerly Tonkin) to Laos. The role of these units, which numbered more than five thousand men, was intelligence and counter-guerrilla tactics in response to the unconventional warfare waged by the Viet Minh. Nice heavy metal insignia with blue and red enamel work depicting a Vietnamese junk. Marked "Drago Paris-Nice 43 R. Oliver Petra" on reverse. Old original period example, not a modern reproduction. The badge measures approximately 2.5cm x 3cm. Scarce.