Bill's Belgian Medals

The Belgian Spy - Hubert Van Nerum

    Some years ago, my friend Kurt Van Camp sold me a unique group of
    34 medals awarded to one individual and awarded by Belgium, France,
    USA, Russia, Poland and the UK - that individual was a remarkable
    man known as Hubert Emile Van Nerum.  

    At the age of 17, Hubert joined the resistance movement following the
    German occupation of Belgium. Over the next 4 years, he variously
    acted as courier, spy, saboteur, and finally head of a resistance
    movement, helping to pinpoint targets for allied attack by air. He also
    assisting downed airmen to return to the UK and circulated clandestine
    press throughout the war.

    Sought by the Gestapo, Hubert evaded capture and assumed a new
    identity until with the allied invasion, he joined the Belgian Army,
    fighting with his Belgian colleagues as they moved into the heart of
    Germany itself.

    To illustrate the nature of this collection of medals of considerable
    historic value, I have included a certificate signed personally by Field
    Marshal 'Monty' Montgomery, thanking Hubert for his wartime services.

    All of this personal history is fully documented in a unique set of 70
    letters of attestation and certificates for his medals, clasps etc.,
    together with all his identity papers.

    In addition, there is a personal scrap album featuring a Flemish
    newspaper series of articles on Belgian resistance activities during the
    war, which Hubert had personally illustrated at length with personal
    photographs, notes and wartime maps of German installations he drew
    up for the resistance.
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Bill's Belgian Medals
Bill's Belgian Medals

Hubert's impressive medal group, which had listed himself on the back of
his display frame, included:

1. Knight of the Order of Leopold, with gilt crossed swords and tablet
1940-1945.

2. Knight in the Order of the Crown.

3. Knight in the Order of Leopold II.

4. Golden Palms of the Order of the Crown.

5. Golden medal of the Order of Leopold II.

6. Croix de Guerre (Leopold III type) with two palms.     

7. Medal of the Armed Resistance.

8. Medal of the Fighting Volunteer, with silver clasp '1940-45' and bronze
clasp 'Pugnator.'

9. Medal of Refused Labour (white stripes).

10. Commemorative medal with crossed swords, crossed lightning and
ellips 'Allemagne 1945'.

11. Civil Resistance Medal               

12. Military Decoration (Leopold III type), 1st class.

13. Medal of the Fighting Soldier.

14. Knight's Cross of the Order of Gratitude for Recipients of the Belgian
Croix de Guerre.

15. Medal of the veterans of Leopold III with two palms and crossed
swords in silver.

16. Medal of the Union of the Intelligence and Action Services.

17. Athos Medal (only awarded to members of this famous Intelligence
Resistance Group, a numbered item).

18. Commemorative Medal for the Occupation Army of the Rhine.

19. Commemorative Medal of the Secret Army.

20. Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleur-de-Lys, with rosette.

21. Interallied Distinguished Service Cross 1st Class.

22. Commemorative War Medal of General Eisenhower.

23. Firing Squad Medal USA.

24. Knight's Cross of the Sovereign and Royal Order of King Piast of
Poland.

25. Russian Medal of the 40th Anniversary of V-Day.

26. Commemorative Medal of the Polish Army and Resistance (miniature).

27. Partisan's Cross .          

28. Croix de Passeur.

29. Allied Merit Cross.       

30. Croix de la Victoire.

31. Commemorative Medal - 25th Anniversary International Federation of
the Allied Combattants in Europe.

32. Medal of Honour of the Clandestine Organisation;'Lord Denys'
(miniature).

33. Golden Medal of the 'Grand Prix Humanitaire' (French) with rosette.

34. Medal of Honour of the SITCA.
Last Updated 17 November 2007