VC89

It seems that for some reason they like to use red for 1st class and blue for 2nd class. Some other examples: And as I said before, Belgium is not very strict about these things. I don't even think the color of the box is set as a "rule" but rather something they just did.

Shouldn't be there a "L II" (monogram of King Leopold II) on the box? I have some simular ones with only the "2nd class" (in French, Dutch or both) on it and in most of them have the civil "Labour Decoration, 2nd Class" and the "Civil Decoration, 2nd class" for civil guard/fire brigade inside. Now Belgium is not known for its strictness when it comes to medals and probably most 2nd class medals could have been sold/awarded in a box like this.

I never really trust those portret pictures. Not that I don't believe it was a real soldier and the owner of the medals, but some things are usually off with them. I heard from an other collector once that military 'props" were present in the photo studio, so the shown insignia/uniforms aren't always the one the "model" would wear in active service. In this picture I see the War Cross, Military Decoration 2nd class (no palm, so it should be for long (10 year) service*), Yser-medal (not the cross) and the last one is hard to figure out but doesnt look like one in the frame. I also see 8 frontstripes and no Victory Medal or Commemorative Medal. So if it is his real outfit this means the picture would have been taken late 1918 or early 1919. The Knight in the Order of Leopold (military division), the Knight in the Order of Leopold II and Golden Palms in the Order of the Crown are all consistent with a long service in the military (seeing the bottom medal's inscription "sous-officier" I'm thinking he was a NCO which is also consistent with the Military Decoration, an officer would receive the Military Cross.) The Crossed Swords on the Knight in the Order of Leopold (created in 1939) indicates that he has won enough "war titles" during the First World War and is placed on the highest medal (knight or higher) in one of the national orders (It doesn't mean he won this medal for his wartime service). *The chevron on the medal in the frame suggest that it was indeed a professional soldier who continued serving after the war and his Military Decoration got upgraded (15 years) to 1st class. Weird since he's also a War Volunteer, but maybe it's possible. Maybe those 4 years of war count for this medal after he left the army after 11 years and volunteered during the war (Just thinking out loud). But then again ... these are Belgian decorations and regulations about them or the strict use of them is not our strong suit 😛

Thanks, jef.

Seeing it in real life is always better but on the picture it looks fine to me. The medal and the cross do have some of that weird green in the top circle. But the image looks fine and the medal has some nice patina. Ribbon looks aged but kept under good conditions. If I would have found it like this I would probably have bought it if it was sold at the right price.

Just a small remark: Note that those "restrikes" and "copies" are legit medals of that order. In Belgium only the design is described in the Law or Royal Decree. Everybody can fabricate them as long as they follow the given design and they are considered official. You can buy and sell the freely but only wear them when you are awarded with them (and received the certificate for it). The Royal Order of the Lion (and the Order of the African Star as well) is still an active order, althoug dorment since 1960s. It has never been abolished by Law or Royal Decree. So this medals are real pieces of the Royal order of the Lion, not just the ones that we collectors like to buy. In Belgium it is usually so that the recipient has to buy their own decoration. Only the certificate is awarded for free by the government. So there are many manufacturers who provide official decorations: P. De Greef, Mauquoy, Fibru, ... What might be considered restrikes or copies are modern fabrications with only the french text. Since 1951 they must be bilingual (french-dutch). With only the dutch text (if exist) are considered unofficial.

I checked the almanac of the city of Brussels. Campagnies Belge appears for the first time at this adress in the edition of 1911. The two edition before it, it was unused and before that there was a butcher located on the adress. It was still there in the edition of 1914 but in the next available edition of 1920* the building was unused again. In the 1922 edition, I couldn't find the name of the company in the catagory "Engravers" of "Medalists". In 1921, a designer was located at this adress. My guess would be that they ceased to exist during the war since Brussels was occupied by Germany from 1914 till 1918. The demand for medals from a Belgian maker would be low and materials would have been harder to get. *I don't know if the editions between 1914-1920 are missing in the collection of the archive of Brussels or that they weren't printed due to the First World War.

André Borné's book is usually seen as the bible of official Belgian decorations but is has some mistakes in it, as can be expected by the size of it's content (remeber that it was published in 1985, before the internet, digitalization of documents and easy acces to pictures of collectors). The lions are one of those mistakes. There are just too many examples of encircled lions on the warcross (1914). An other collector once told me that the cost of cutting the lions out were higher than just leaving them encircled. He believes that the cutout ones were the first model but changed during the war to the cheaper encircled ones. If this is true and there is no papertrail of the change it might explain Borné's error as well. Kind regards, Vincent

I almost nailed it with the medals ? 4 frontstripes instead of 8. Civil Decoration for Bravery instead of Long Service in the Administration. The Military Decoration is the version used till 1910. In that year the monogram of King Leopold II changed in that of King Albert I. Also, the monogram should be the back of the medal. The front should be the lion ?. So my guess is: A former military (NCO or lower) who later joined the police force. He served in the army during WW I. Since he received the Civil Medal for Bravery and not the Military Decoration for Bravery, I suspect he did a heroic action after he left the army, maybe in his position as a policeman. The picture should be taken between 1919-1930, since he wears the Victory Medal (created in 1919) and the Commemorative Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the National Independance (created in 1930) is in the frame but not worn in the picture. He might have been retired by the time he received it. Did you puchased it from a online seller in Belgium recently? The frame looks familiar, I think I saw it on a second hands website.

My knowledge of military uniforms is limited but it looks like a pre-WW I uniform with post WW I medals. Victory Medal and Commemorative Medal of the War 1914-1918 are both created in 1919. It must either be a NCO or a lower rank. Officers didn't received the Military Decoration but the Military Cross. I tried to recreate the medal bar with examples of my own collection: Knight in the Order of Leopold II (with the unofficial swords under the crown) Palms in the Order of the Crown (I presume gold ones due to his long career) War Cross 1914, with palm Victory Medal Commemorative Medal of the War 1914-1918 (seeing the duration of his career I guess 8 front stripes). Military Decoration 1st Class (awarded for 15 years of service) Civil Decoration for Long Service in the Administration (Looks odd on a military uniform. It might be the the Civil Decoration for Bravery or the Civil Decoration for Civil Guard. They have the same medal but on a different ribbon, but going by the blurry enlargement of the picture it looks more like this ribbon.)

The hamer and sickle inside a 5-pointed star were the halmark of silver used in the Soviet Union since 1958. The 816 should be the silver content (meaning 81,6% pure silver is used). The "3" or "B" left from the star refers to the district it was made (I have no further info about it). The 9.ARS I have no idea.

There is an article about Belgian medal makers which include a short history of the Fonson Company (http://www.numisbel.be/KBGN 175_De Lombaert.pdf), pg. 175-160.

I don't thing Jeff is talking about a book but about the website that Guy made about the Military Decoration: http://users.telenet.be/deploige/OMD-DM/index.html It's in dutch or french but without knowledge of either language it's easy to figure out. Kind regards, Vincent

I once read an article of André Borné about this medal. It was in French, a language that is not my strong suit, but what I understood was that the medal was not an award but a membership insignia. The form of the medal depends on the period it was given and/or the type of membership. Kind Regards, Vincent

Jemeppe-sur-Meuse Awarded to combatants of the municipality. "Jemeppe S/M [sur-Meuse] in recognition to their combatants 1945" St. Jean-Geest "The Municipality of St. Jean-Geets Gratitude 1940-45" Liège The medal shows the city's gratitude towards their liberators (3th US Armored Divison) in the design of the medal. It shows the head of a G.I. with a laurel wreath on his helmet. To it's side it shows the Perron of Liège (symbol of the city) and the Statue of Liberty (symbol of America). "City of Liège V [Victory] 1940 1945"

Frameries The date on the medal indicate a commemorative medal to the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the war. Roeselare The date on the medal indicate a commemorative medal to the 50th anniversary of the Armistice. Wetteren Awarded to their combatants. The date on the medal indicate a commemorative medal to the 50th anniversary of the Armistice. Massemen Awarded to the civilians of the municipality who were claimed by the Germans for forced labour.

After the war, many municipalities and cities awarded some medals to honor their combatants or victims of the war. These medals are not official and information about them is scarce. In this topic I show my own collection of them and share the information I have found. Feel free to contribute your own pieces and/or information. Ghent Awarded by the city of Ghent during the "Gentse Feesten" (Eng: The Ghent Festival) of 1920, in presence of members of the royal family, to all WW1 combatants and deported of the city of Ghent. The medal was also awarded to the widows or the rightful claiments of a fallen soldier. On of the shown pieces came in the box of the manufacturer "Jules Jooris". Medal of the Three Cities (Ypres, Diksmuide and Nieuwpoort) Created in 1955 and awarded by one of the three cities to combatants (usualy French or Belgian) who fought in their region. A bar with the name of the city is added on the ribbon of the medal. It is possible that one combatant has two or all three bars on the ribbon. Medal of Liège Awarded in 1920 during a ceremony, with crown prince Leopold (later King Leopold III) en General Leman (Commander of the Fortifications of Liège in 1914), to the defenders of the fortifications around the city and to inhabitants of the city who were political prisoners and tried by a German Court.

The hierarchy between Belgian medals (with exception of the National Orders) is not very clear. In some decrees that create a medal it is stated in the form of "worn behind the ... medal" of "worn behind all medals created before this decree". I have looked but never found an official list. In my opinion the hierarchy behind the National Orders is more out of custom than regulations. Even if there is a reglation for these medals it is not strictly followed or enforced. Usually you see medals in this order: Belgian National Orders (see link below for their hierarchy) Foreign Orders (in order of receiving) Military Medal (art. 4) -- Now known by a different name that keep forgetting -- and maybe it civil counterpart (not sure) Decorations received for wartime actions Military decorations Civil decorations Unofficial decorations (not allowed but worn anyway) see also: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/Protocol/nobility_and_honorary_distinctions/national_orders/wearing_decorations (official) https://hmc2.pagesperso-orange.fr/en/belgium/e-precedence.html (made by medal enthusiast and If I'm not mistaken a member of this forum) In short: No problems with your medals. Kind Regards, Vincent

Hey Guy, Shouldn't it be the Civil Decoration for Bravery, Devotion and Philantrophy instead of the Civil Decoration for Long Service in the Administration? I only count two black stripes instead of three. Kind Regards, Vincent

Stuka is right. The medal is the Industry and Agricultural Decoration or under it's later name Decoration of Labour (medal is the same only the name changes) and has nothing to do with the army. But on the bright side, it has the name of the maker on it's back (J. Fonson Brussels) wich makes it more uncommon (even rare) to find (even in Belgium). Someone told me this was done in the early 20th century, but I can't verify that. Nevertheless with the discription on the back it's the hardest to find medal in your modest collection . If it hadn't any discription on it's back it's the easyest medal to find. Your (metal) badges are cap badges of the Infantry: 2nd line regiment (dragon, used since 1950 till disbanment) and 11th line regiment (shield and trees, used since 1949 till disbandment). Vincent

The bar "Korea-Coree" does not belong on this medal but it is not uncommon that veterans put this sort of bars on their medals. Belgium is not very strict about this things. The "Military Decoration (art. 4)", for gallantry, can only have a chevron (for a first class award) and a palm (for gallantry in war) on it's ribbon. There are four types of Palms: with an "A" (created in 1915) with an "LIIIL" (created in 1941) with an "L", (created in 1952) without any monogram since 1954 The black bar means the recipient fell during combat or died from wounds received by the enemy. The mother of the fallen soldier was allowed to wear this medal if this bar was attached. The black bar on your medal looks not well made. It should have silver sides with black enamel (not sure I translated this correctly) in the middle. Personally I thinks it's not genuine. Vincent

Ending with Buls in 2016 and reviving this topic with him (I hope) I bought this knight in the Order of Leopold and believes it it from Ch. Buls (ca. 1845 - 1880s). Unfortunatly I can't decipher the silvermark. I checked it with A. Ruokonen's book "Spirit of the lion" and it seems to match, at least to me, with Charles Buls. I hope someone can verify this or disprove this. Kind Regards, Vincent

Thank you for the reply. @Jef: Indeed ... and I forgot to check it again ... it was probably due that article that I remember something about the field army. Vincent

I was reorganizing my medal collection and found some pieces that I haven't identified or know very little about. Maybe some people here know more about them then I do and are willing to share . Every information is welcome. All of them are (presumed) Belgian and military (or war) related. 1) (mini) I have no clue 2) Came with some sort of membershipcard (last pic), 3) Read somewhere that it is related with the field army (Veldleger) but have no idea which oranisation A.N.V. - N.V.V. is. 4) Oueverture Nationale de Service Social aux Familles de Militaires (O.N.S.S.F.M.) - Nationale Instelling voor Sociale Dienstbetoon aan de Gezinnen van Militairen (N.I.S.D.G.M.) - Translated: National Institution for Social Service to Families of Servicemen. No idea what this institution did or why this medal was awarded (probably for long membership or aiding the institution). 5) Read somewhere that it was awarded to American soldiers who liberated the city of Liege but found no futher info. 6) Probably from a veteran organization of the 2nd Infantry Brigade "Yser" (Free Belgian Forces). Maybe given to soldiers who returned from the occupation in Germeny in 1946. I found that this brigade served there from 1945 till 1946. The B.A.O.R. may indicate they where part of the British Army of the Rhine. Vincent

Thank you, 922F, for showing. I have one case almost exactly like yours (the dark one) but it has an "O" under the crowned "A". On an other forum (https://www.ablhistoryforum.be/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=6331) they stated that it was for an Officer's cross of the Order of Leopold during the reign of King Albert I. My case is definitly switched because I found a Belgian War Cross (1940) in it. Vincent