Commemorative Medal of the 1940–1945 War

The Commemorative Medal of the 1940–45 War (, ) was a military decoration of Belgium. It was established by royal decree of the Prince Regent on 16 February 1945 to recognise Belgian servicemen and women who served during World War II. It was also awarded to members of the Belgian Resistance and members of Belgium's Merchant Navy on the side of the Allies. Later decrees allowed for its award to foreign recipients of the Belgian Croix de Guerre.

Award description

Insignia The Commemorative Medal of the War 1940–1945 was a 38mm in diameter circular bronze medal, the obverse bore a large V for Victory sign with a relief roaring lion in the V, at lower left was the relief year "1940", at lower right the relief year "1945". A 3mm wide laurel wreath encircled the entire medal on both the obverse and reverse. On the reverse, within a 5mm wide raised circle, the relief inscriptions () within the upper half and () in the lower half, in the center of the raised circle, two 3mm high raised horizontal bars positioned 8mm apart, the upper one bearing the relief inscription (), the lower one bearing (), at center, between the two horizontal bars, the relief years "1940–1945".

The medal was suspended by a ring through a lateral suspension loop from a 37mm wide yellow silk moiré ribbon with 8mm wide edge stripes composed of 2mm wide stripes of yellow, black, white and black, the yellow being closest to the edges.

Ribbon devices Many ribbon devices are allowed for wear: crossed sabres denoting combat service in the 1940 campaign or service in the armed resistance, crossed anchors denoting naval combat service, crossed lightning flashes denoting service in intelligence, a small lion denoting a mention in dispatches, a red enamelled cross denoting a combat wound, bronze bars denoting years as a POW, a star denoting colonial troops, a crown denoting a volunteer, multiple campaign clasps (some straight, some elliptical): Straight clasps: 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 Zwijndrecht Elliptical clasps: Allemagne 1944–1945 France 1944 Pays-Bas 1944–1945 Tchecoslovaquie 1945 Ardennes 1944–1945

Notable recipients (partial list) The individuals listed below were awarded the Commemorative Medal of the War 1940–1945: Lieutenant General Baron Charles de Cumont Lieutenant General Albert Baron Crahay Cavalry Lieutenant General Marcel Jooris Lieutenant General Roger Dewandre Lieutenant General Ernest Engelen Lieutenant General Sir Louis Teysen Lieutenant General Constant Weyns Police Lieutenant General August Van Wanzeele Aviator Lieutenant General Armand Crekillie Major General Maurice Jacmart Divisional Admiral Léon Lurquin Aviator Vice Admiral Sir André Schlim Cavalry Major General Jules François Gaston Everaert Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Piron Lieutenant General Jules Joseph Pire Cavalry Lieutenant General Sir Maximilien de Neve de Roden Lieutenant General Alphonse Verstraete Major General Baron Georges Danloy Lieutenant General Baron Raoul de Hennin de Boussu-Walcourt Lieutenant General Joseph Leroy Cavalry Lieutenant General Jules De Boeck François Ernest SamrayDecree 3179, 01-07-1941 Lieutenant General Fernand Vanderhaeghen Lieutenant General Robert Oor Lieutenant General Libert Elie Thomas Lieutenant General Léon Bievez Cavalry Major General Baron Beaudoin de Maere d'Aertrycke Major General Lucien Van Hoof Major General Jean Buysse Major General Paul Jacques Commodore Georges Timmermans Aviator Major General Norbert Leboutte Police Lieutenant General Louis Joseph Leroy Police Lieutenant General Oscar-Eugène Dethise Chaplain General Louis Kerremans Count Pierre Harmel Lucienne Marie AdansRoyal decree, no 1859, 16-02-1946

Commemorative Medal of the 1940–1945 War

Bron en licentie