War Cross (Belgium)
The war cross (also: Oorlogskruis or Croix de Guerre ) is a military decoration of the Kingdom of Belgium . It was donated to honor military services in the First World War and renewed during the Second World War .
Foundation and award terms
The Belgian War Cross was donated on October 25, 1915 by King Albert I as an award for bravery and other military merits on the battlefield. It is comparable to the war decorations of other countries, such as the French Croix de guerre , which were erected around the same time . Initially, the award could only be given to individuals. In addition to special bravery, the cross could also be awarded for three years of service at the front, for volunteers over 40 or under 16 years of age after 18 months of service. Other possible reasons for the award were resignation from service due to injury, re-entry into the troops after escaping from captivity or other good conduct under combat conditions.
During the Second World War, the Belgian government in exile in London renewed the award on July 20, 1940, while the Belgian King Leopold III. was under house arrest and German control after the surrender. The renewed war cross could now be awarded not only to individuals but also to military units. A Fourragère was donated separately for these units . This was only allowed to be worn by members of the distinguished unit who were serving in this service at the time of the award. The Fourragère could be awarded after the unit was decorated twice with the war cross, whereby the award was not automatic but required a separate decree.
Ribbons in the form of palm branches with the king's initial (1915: A ; 1940: L ) and lion medallions were donated for the war cross, which were awarded for mentioning names in the troop reports. The band editions indicated the rank of the unit in whose report it was mentioned. For several mentions, additional conditions were awarded accordingly.
- Bronze lion: Mentioned in the regimental report
- Silver Lion: Mentioned in the brigade report
- Golden Lion: Mentioned in the divisional report
- Bronze palm: mentioned in the army report
- Silver palm: for five bronze palm trees
- Golden Palm: for five silver palm trees
After the Second World War, the war cross was donated again on April 3, 1954, although no reference was made to a specific conflict. This design has not yet been awarded.
Belgian War Cross with Palm Tree (1940)
Belgian War Cross, reverse (1940)
Belgian War Cross (after 1954)
Appearance and wearing style
The decoration is a 40 millimeter high Maltese cross with beads on the cross tips. Two crossed swords run through the cross angles. The medallion shows the Belgian heraldic animal , the Brabant lion . The medallion on the reverse bears the monogram of King Albert I (executed in 1915) or Leopold III. (Version 1940). Connected with a two-part bar, the royal crown stands above the cross, which carries the ring at the top as a connection to the ribbon. The total height of the gem is 65 millimeters.
The ribbon of the 1915 execution is red and has five light green stripes. There are three of them, three millimeters apart, in the middle of the belt and two three millimeters from the edge. In the 1940 version, there are six light green stripes, each two millimeters apart, on both sides of the tape, starting two millimeters from the edge. The 1954 award reverses the color sequence and bears six red stripes on a light green ribbon.
The award is worn on the ribbon or as a ribbon clasp on the left side of the chest.
See also
literature
- Paul Ohm Hieronymussen: Handbook of European Orders in Colors . 2nd edition, Berlin 1975, ISBN 978-3-8004-0948-8 .
- HG Meijer and R. Vis, Het Vliegerkruis. Voor initiatief, moed en volharding , Amsterdam 1997
Web links
- Distinctions honorifiques officielles belges. Retrieved December 1, 2016 (French).