Rare 1931 Moroccan Royal Decree Discovered in French Attic

Jean Dormoy found this Moroccan royal document in the house located in Vernois-sur-Mance, in the north of the nearby department of Jussey, where he had lived all his childhood. He remained very attached to the house, despite the death of his parents. It was while cleaning out the attic of the house that he discovered the well-framed dahir, issued in particular for appointments, reports Est Républicain.

The distinction dated March 4, 1931, was written in Rabat and issued to his father Roger, then a 23-year-old soldier in Morocco. Jean, who is a former police officer, conducted an investigation to understand this document written in Arabic. He meets a man of Moroccan origin at the Lure Fair and tells him about his discovery. The latter offers to translate the document for him and to contact a friend, the prosecutor of Casablanca, for this purpose.

"I didn’t think he would do all that, it was very kind of him. He told me, if one day you go to Morocco with this dahir, all the doors will open for you," said Jean. The translated decree refers to his father in these terms: "faithful servant Mr. Roger Dormoy, order of distinction of the Kingdom knight of the 5th rank of the infantry squadron, of recognition, of blessing and of encouragement".