| Bill's Belgian Medals A Personal Collection of Belgian Medals |
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| Copyright Bill Simpson © 2006 |
A great site about Belgian medals but unfortunately only in Dutch at the moment I look forward to an English version one day! |
Belgian Medals
Chaplain in Chief to the Belgian Army, Mr. le Chanoine
Louis Kerremans
Order of Leopold 1 (Military Division), Order of the Crown, Order of Leopold 2, A Croix de Guerre with one silver
palm and 2 bronze - a total of 7 mentions in the Army Order of the day, three lions - 3 mentions in the Regimental
Order of the day, a Croix de Feu, Civil Decoration 1914-18 First Class, Victory medal, Commemorative Medal
1914-18, 100 Years Centenary of Belgian National Independence, and the Liege medal.
The brother has a Knight of the Order of Leopold 1 (Military), Civil Decoration 1st Class, Resistance medal (WW2),
Volunteer Medal WW1, Victory medal, Commemorative Medal 1914-18, Commemorative Medal with crossed swords
WW2 and the Russian Order of St. George 4th Class for Bravery!
Group 'D' , Organisation Service "D" and the Intelligence and Action Service (SRA).
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, Commander of the Oaken Crown of
Luxembourg, Commander of Leopold 2. Knight of the Order of the Northern Star of Sweden, Knight of the Order of
Civil Merit of France, Officer of the Order of Merit for the Republic of Italy, Officer of the Order of Orange Nassau of
The Netherlands.
Grand Officer Civil Division of the Order of Leopold 1. Commander (Maritime Division) (French Language only).
Order of Leopold 2 (Knight) and on the right is the bronze Medal for Sports Merit which was created on 23 May
1939. This scarce medal has an annual quota: 100 bronze, 40 silver and 10 gold medals are awarded per annum
and they are mainly awarded for sustained meritorious service in the field of endeavour (10 years for the bronze
medal, 15 years for silver and 20 years for gold medals) or to athletes to mark brilliant careers : gold medal to
Olympic Gold Medallists, World Champions or World Record Holders, silver medal to European Champions,
European Record Holders or Olympic Silver Medallists and the bronze medal for remarkable performance on
national or international level.
the Leopold 1 Order. However, next to that is the rare 'Rescuers of Antwerp'; then a gold service star for Belgian
Congo service. The medal at the extreme right is the Leopold 2 Medal for acts of bravery, awarded for rescuers
from fire or drowning etc. But the medal 2nd from right is a very rare Napoleon 3 medal - The 1859 Battle of
Solferino Medal. This was issued to French soldiers returning from 1859 Italian Campaign who participated in the
battle. Although issued mostly to the French, many Italian officers also received it. It is a very interesting medal for
both Italian and French collectors and the full size medal is classified as Rare.
The Medaille Commemorative Croix Des Passeurs (FCAE). Article 4 medal, Belgium's highest bravery award.
Ardennes; Ardennes Belges; Atlantique Nord; Bataille D'Angelterre; Battaille de Belgique 1940; Beauquesne;
Belgique; Campagne D'Allemagne; Campagne De Hollande; Canal Albert; Canal Albert-Kanne; Canal De
Terneuzen; Canal de Wessem; Dieppe; Emden; Escaut; Flandres 1940; Frontiere; Italie; Knesselare; La Dendre
1940; La Gette; La Lys 1940; Liege 1940; Manche; Namur 1940; Nevele; Normandie; Oldenburg; Ronsele; Vinkt;
Walcheren; Winterbeek; Yougoslavie; Zelzate; Zwinjndrecht. Diksmuide (above), Liege (Above), Lys (above),
Moyen-Orient (above), Namur, Nederland 1940/45 (above), Nigerie (above), Pays Bas 1944-45 (Above), Rhur
(below), Rheinland (below), Saar (below), Selzeate (above) and Tchecoslovaquie 1945 (above).There are even
African service bars - see below - Katanda; Gandijika and Baxwanda. Allemagne 1944-1945; France 1944;
Pays-Bas 1944-1945; Tchecoslovaquie 1945; Ardennes 1944-1945. Atlantiek Noord; Albert Kanal; Duitsland
1944/45, Veldtocht, Van Holland; De Geet.
Leopold 2 Grand Cross, sash badge and breast star. Africa Star Commander. Association of POW and Aircrew
Helpers - Association Passeurs d'Hommes. The medal at centre is the Belgian Federation of Belgian Resistance of
the Ardennes.
Allied Subjects Bronze Medal Allied Subjects Silver Medal.
British MVO, Portuguese Order of Avis, and Belgian Order of Leopold 1 (Military Division) and Order of the Crown,
was part of a much larger group of medals, full size and miniature, that belonged to Baron De Heusch and which
was disposed of piecemeal at a public auction earlier this year. I have my good friend Kurt Van Camp to thank for
this little piece of history as he kindly bid for me knowing of my interest in Belgian history and attributable medal
groups. Colonel Baron Raymond de Heusch was born in 1916 and took part in the brief 1940 campaign during the
German invasion of Belgium. He was taken prisoner of war but re-enlisted with No. 10 Commando in 1944, serving
with the Belgian Paras in the UK. He was to become one of the most decorated Belgian soldiers of WW2 and was
decorated by most European countries for his services with the liberation forces in 1944 and 1945. He was also
appointed Aide de camp to the King.
Order of the Phoenix of Greece.
Belgian Croix civique 1st Class and an Officer of the Ordre du Lion et du Soleil Levant de Perse (Iran).
The Gratitude Medal of the National Royalist Movement. The Medal of the Liberation Army
The Commemorative Medal of the Independence Front
The Medal of the Belgian National Movement
The Cross of the Clandestine Press Section of the Organization "Front Unique-Eenheidsfront"
Cross of a Commander of the National Union of the Clandestine Press.
Athos" Intelligence Resistance Group
Chaplain in Chief to the Belgian Army, Mr. le Chanoine
Louis Kerremans
Order of Leopold 1 (Military Division), Order of the Crown, Order of Leopold 2, A Croix de Guerre with one silver
palm and 2 bronze - a total of 7 mentions in the Army Order of the day, three lions - 3 mentions in the Regimental
Order of the day, a Croix de Feu, Civil Decoration 1914-18 First Class, Victory medal, Commemorative Medal
1914-18, 100 Years Centenary of Belgian National Independence, and the Liege medal.
The brother has a Knight of the Order of Leopold 1 (Military), Civil Decoration 1st Class, Resistance medal (WW2),
Volunteer Medal WW1, Victory medal, Commemorative Medal 1914-18, Commemorative Medal with crossed swords
WW2 and the Russian Order of St. George 4th Class for Bravery!
Group 'D' , Organisation Service "D" and the Intelligence and Action Service (SRA).
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, Commander of the Oaken Crown of
Luxembourg, Commander of Leopold 2. Knight of the Order of the Northern Star of Sweden, Knight of the Order of
Civil Merit of France, Officer of the Order of Merit for the Republic of Italy, Officer of the Order of Orange Nassau of
The Netherlands.
Grand Officer Civil Division of the Order of Leopold 1. Commander (Maritime Division) (French Language only).
Order of Leopold 2 (Knight) and on the right is the bronze Medal for Sports Merit which was created on 23 May
1939. This scarce medal has an annual quota: 100 bronze, 40 silver and 10 gold medals are awarded per annum
and they are mainly awarded for sustained meritorious service in the field of endeavour (10 years for the bronze
medal, 15 years for silver and 20 years for gold medals) or to athletes to mark brilliant careers : gold medal to
Olympic Gold Medallists, World Champions or World Record Holders, silver medal to European Champions,
European Record Holders or Olympic Silver Medallists and the bronze medal for remarkable performance on
national or international level.
the Leopold 1 Order. However, next to that is the rare 'Rescuers of Antwerp'; then a gold service star for Belgian
Congo service. The medal at the extreme right is the Leopold 2 Medal for acts of bravery, awarded for rescuers
from fire or drowning etc. But the medal 2nd from right is a very rare Napoleon 3 medal - The 1859 Battle of
Solferino Medal. This was issued to French soldiers returning from 1859 Italian Campaign who participated in the
battle. Although issued mostly to the French, many Italian officers also received it. It is a very interesting medal for
both Italian and French collectors and the full size medal is classified as Rare.
The Medaille Commemorative Croix Des Passeurs (FCAE). Article 4 medal, Belgium's highest bravery award.
Ardennes; Ardennes Belges; Atlantique Nord; Bataille D'Angelterre; Battaille de Belgique 1940; Beauquesne;
Belgique; Campagne D'Allemagne; Campagne De Hollande; Canal Albert; Canal Albert-Kanne; Canal De
Terneuzen; Canal de Wessem; Dieppe; Emden; Escaut; Flandres 1940; Frontiere; Italie; Knesselare; La Dendre
1940; La Gette; La Lys 1940; Liege 1940; Manche; Namur 1940; Nevele; Normandie; Oldenburg; Ronsele; Vinkt;
Walcheren; Winterbeek; Yougoslavie; Zelzate; Zwinjndrecht. Diksmuide (above), Liege (Above), Lys (above),
Moyen-Orient (above), Namur, Nederland 1940/45 (above), Nigerie (above), Pays Bas 1944-45 (Above), Rhur
(below), Rheinland (below), Saar (below), Selzeate (above) and Tchecoslovaquie 1945 (above).There are even
African service bars - see below - Katanda; Gandijika and Baxwanda. Allemagne 1944-1945; France 1944;
Pays-Bas 1944-1945; Tchecoslovaquie 1945; Ardennes 1944-1945. Atlantiek Noord; Albert Kanal; Duitsland
1944/45, Veldtocht, Van Holland; De Geet.
Leopold 2 Grand Cross, sash badge and breast star. Africa Star Commander. Association of POW and Aircrew
Helpers - Association Passeurs d'Hommes. The medal at centre is the Belgian Federation of Belgian Resistance of
the Ardennes.
Allied Subjects Bronze Medal Allied Subjects Silver Medal.
British MVO, Portuguese Order of Avis, and Belgian Order of Leopold 1 (Military Division) and Order of the Crown,
was part of a much larger group of medals, full size and miniature, that belonged to Baron De Heusch and which
was disposed of piecemeal at a public auction earlier this year. I have my good friend Kurt Van Camp to thank for
this little piece of history as he kindly bid for me knowing of my interest in Belgian history and attributable medal
groups. Colonel Baron Raymond de Heusch was born in 1916 and took part in the brief 1940 campaign during the
German invasion of Belgium. He was taken prisoner of war but re-enlisted with No. 10 Commando in 1944, serving
with the Belgian Paras in the UK. He was to become one of the most decorated Belgian soldiers of WW2 and was
decorated by most European countries for his services with the liberation forces in 1944 and 1945. He was also
appointed Aide de camp to the King.
Order of the Phoenix of Greece.
Belgian Croix civique 1st Class and an Officer of the Ordre du Lion et du Soleil Levant de Perse (Iran).
The Gratitude Medal of the National Royalist Movement. The Medal of the Liberation Army
The Commemorative Medal of the Independence Front
The Medal of the Belgian National Movement
The Cross of the Clandestine Press Section of the Organization "Front Unique-Eenheidsfront"
Cross of a Commander of the National Union of the Clandestine Press.
Athos" Intelligence Resistance Group
| Last Updated 27 November 2007 |
Having written my first book - The Prince - my website, and indeed my medal collecting has suffered. Add to that moving home has meant that my collection is somewhat disorganised and needs to be properly displayed. However, I can at least begin to display it online again, even as I embark on writing my next book.
you will enjoy my site. |
These first medals are family medals that I have had remounted. The group of two on the left belonged to my wife's father, Len Brooker. They are the British Empire Medal and the Imperial Service Medal which he received for services at Chatham Dockyard.
|
I was lucky enough to acquire these two scarce gold and silver Leopold III Medal for Sports Merit from Georges Moussney. A great addition to my collection. These medals were instituted on 23 May 1939, with an annual quota of 100 bronze, 40 silver and 10 gold medals. They were mainly awarded for sustained meritorious service in a field of sport (10 years for the bronze medal, 15 years for silver and 20 years for gold medals) or to athletes to mark brilliant careers : gold medal to Olympic Gold Medallists, World Champions or World Record Holders, silver medal to European Champions, European Record Holders or Olympic Silver Medallists and the bronze medal for remarkable performance on national or international level. |
The Medal for Family Merit above left was instituted on 17 November 1956. This bronze gilt medal rewarded native mothers (of Belgian Congo, Ruanda, Burundi origins) that distinguished themselves by honourably rearing at least 7 offspring. The reverse of the medal is blank. The Commemorative Medal of the Royal Visit to Brazil at right resulted from an invitation by the Brazilian President. King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth boarded the Brazilian dreadnought "Sao Paulo," the first large vessel to put into a Belgian port after the First World War, on 1 September 1920. After his return to Belgium, King Albert I instituted a bronze commemorative medal on 25 November 1920. Recipients were officers and crew of the "Sao Paulo" as well as Belgian and Brazilian civilians on board the battleship during the voyage. |
Other additions to my collection include a three bar Commemorative Medal from WWII and three Political Prisoner medals - all with black bars - awarded posthumously. |
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