belgoman

Hallo, the first lapel badge is the old one from the Belgian veterans association of para-commandos, address 46 rue du Châtelain in Brussels. Friendly yours

hello, I guess the date is when he owner got the brassard and Harsin is a small village in the south of Belgium. Probably both penned on the badge as a souvenir... best regards

Hallo saxcob, I think that it is correct. The non official medal from the" société des blessés de septembre" is the model (with king Léopold head) and was, according to my info, given between 1830 and 1834. An other model of this medal has the date 1830 instead of the king's head. A fine painting you have there. Best regards, Belgoman

dear gentlemen, very interesting medal ...and as you stated, it is not according the official pattern...but it exists One can imagine different theories to explain this : - a manufacturer got short of the "official medallions" and used those for the war cross 14-18, knowing that very few people would notice. - a veteran of King Albert 1st wanted to express his attachment by having the medallions changed - a veteran of Belgian Congo did not want to have the Léopold 2 medallions because he did not agree with the policy of Léopold II in Congo -aso.... If I am not mistaken, the brass color of both medal and medallions is the same, so it had to be done in a manufactory and is not a home made personal change... All by all, an interesting medal. Best regards

hello, the smaller one is issued by the association of volunteers (Fédération nationale des Volontaires de guerre) and thus is a non-official item. Hope this helps, best regards

hello, this is an armband ( brassard in French) worn by the Belgian résistance at the end of WW2, while participating to the liberation of our country. This pattern was worn by the "Front de l'Indépendance" movement but also by the movements that had no proper insignia... The printed badges were sewed on an armband made of till. Hope this helped... best regards

Hello gentlemen, allow me to give a few facts : a) cross was created 13 November 1947 b) each star = 6 months imprisonment c) the stars are, according to the Decree, "fixed on a silvered horizontal bar". But some vets preferred to fix the stars directly on the ribbon. Just a matter of price as the stars where cheaper than the bars d) the centre medallions are not supposed to swirl or turn. Usually they are fixed with sealing wax (red or black) put into the centre space between the arms of the cross... and to help the medallion to stay into position, a small loop (or 2 small bars) is fixed at the back of the medallion and pressed into the hot wax. Once the wax is cold, the loop (or bars) is cached and the medallion fixed into position. But sometimes the manufacturer used not enough wax or it crimped...and the medallions begin to turn. d) has the crosses are made by different manufacturers, at least 4 varieties are known with small detail differences. Hope this helps. Kind regards, Belgoman

Hi to all, answering a question from Jef posted 20/02/2012. You'll find enclosed 3 pictures linked to that subject. 1 : a group for WW1 2 : a similare medal as the one shown in the previous post 3 : a medal also given by the carabiniers regiment... Other similar items have been seen offered by regiments (and surely the Karabiniers) when a soldier got a citation, or as shooting price, or, for special occasions... this to improve the regimental spirit... The one shown by Jef seems to be one similar to the n° 2 I show. I suppose that the American Red Cross, at the end of the War, wanted to mark its "admiration" for the courage of Belgian soldiers and decided to offer small medals as a token of appreciation. Somehow as the Russian Tolstoï medal... It is then not abnormal that the gift from the Red Cross was engraved in the medal on the reverse...the obverse being used for the earned citation... hope this helps, belgoman

Hallo TacHel, and right you are, these decorations are present in about all good Belgian collections... as in mine By the way, some members of the Armed forces wear the service ribbon on their uniform just after their military decorations...even if it is not really official, it is generally tolerated...as the Red Cross is non political, neutral, aso..... After the 1st world war,a number of these decorations have been awarded to British nurses also to recognize their work in the hospitals. So, all the best for your collection, best regards

Hallo TacHel, both items are from post ww1 period unless your 1st class ribon has a roset on it. If not,then it is surely post ww1. The difference in crowns has nothing to do with the different kings, they are just from different makers. Yet the crown type of your 1st class is older than the other one. These medals are given by the Belgian Red Cross and are not official decorations as Jef said correctly, and not supposed to be worn on military uniforms. kind regards, JP.

Hallo Graf, the Belgian specialist Guy Deploige mentionned in an other forum these elements for Wolfers. freely translated : "the Wolfers Company was in business : G. Wolfers circa 1840 till circa 1870 G. Wolfers et Fils (guilaume and Gustave) from circa 1870 till 1888 Gustave Wolfers / Maison Gve Wolfers from 1888 till 1930 Maison Gustave Wolfers S.A. from 1830 till 1960 Ancienne Maison G. Wolfers from 1960 till 1975 end of the Wolfers Company ".. So the mark you show us is probably from 1888 till 1930, but more certainly after WW1). For as far that I know, the Wolfers dit put a medallion at the back of the gd cross and gd officer "plaques", but just the belgian silver mark for the smaller decorations (and generally on the suspension ring). You can also find usefull information on : http://www.modernsilver.com/marchupdate/WolfersFreres.htm Best regards, JP

hallo gents, the bronze medal is indeed not so common. One af the reasons is that you can generally get the 2nd class Médaille du travail (labour medal) after 25 years of labour, and the 1st class after 30 years. After 35 years you can get the gold medal of the Ordre de la Couronne... After 30 years sometimes the silver medal (generally for long service in the army). The ministeries now even do not mention any longer the number of years of service needed for a bronze medal. So why would anyone bother for a bronze medal??? Second reason is that these decorations are generally offered by the employers for long service in their company. As they have to pay for the medals they offer, they prefer to offer them to staff that worked long in the company, let us say after 25 years at least! So no one is presenting an employee before 25 years labour...and then they ask for the 2nd class Médaille du Travail. Third reason : I was told (but was never confirmed) that the bronze medal was more intended for labourers in Belgian Congo...and that Belgians really did not care to ask these medals for the natives... sorry. By the way, the bronze medal exists is various bronze tints going from yellowish brass to red tinted brass... The darker ones are generally the oldest ones... Some have been varnished to reduce possible oxydation (as can be seen in Jame's post) Hope this could help you all. Regards, JP

Hallo Mervyn Mitton, thanks for your kind answer. I now know what I have to look for. I'll see if Spinks can help me with one of these top inner bars... Once again THANKS; KIND REGARDS, jp

good evening gentlemen, and once again thanks to QSAMIKE for his kind reaction. Having no further answers to my question, I suppose I'll have to stay with my ribbon without the correct fitting. regards, JP

Hallo Mike and thanks for your answer. The link shows the DFC and gives interesting information but unfortunately does not show the reverse and the pin style bar you mention. Please excuse my ignorance but what do you mean with "pin style bar" exactly. I would really appreciate if you could show me one (that fits the DFC) or where I can see one. Hope it is not to much trouble. Thanks and best regards, JP

Hallo gents, I could use your help : I have a DFC attributed to a Belgian Pilote during WW2 but... at one time someone removed the mounting brooch bar, probably to allow the DFC to join his other decorations on his uniform... I'd like to complete his ribbon by sewing a genuine mounting brooch bar. But do not know if this bar is supposed to be silver or metal, with or without marks, correct size or shape.... Can someone help me buying a genuine mounting bar somewhere or at least answer these questions? Looking forward to read you, regards, Belgoman

Hallo there, just going through old posts and want to answer this one. The croix de guerre 1914-1918 also exists in gilted silver as can be seen in the site : http://www.medailles1914-1918.fr/belgique-croixda.html They were generally offered to top (high ranking) officers by their staff, of home city. I have also seen gilted brass crosses (ad for the croix de l'yser)... Hopes this helps to answer your questions... regards, Belgoman

Hallo Gldank, just going through old posts and want to come back on this one. The knight cross of Léopold II is sometimes given to important staff or managers of commercial or cultural societies to thank them for their long contribution to Belgian's fame and/or wealth... let us say it is the top "labour medal" but not for the common worker! Often the "managers" receive their decoration provided by the staff (workers, employees) as a gift and token of appreciation. This can explain that the miniature you show with one star is ornated with stones... The decoration is then handed over during a tribute happening. In some companies of factories those who offer the decoration put these unofficial stars on the ribbon to represent (generally) a period of 10 years the owner was chairman or head or big boss, in charge of, aso.... Usually you get ( or got) these high positions when you have already worked quite a number of years, so these knight crosses are not for the youngsters... This system applies also for officer and commandeur crosses. Hopes this helps you. regards, Belgoman

Hallo guys, here a phto of a soldier wearing the mini fourragère on his uniforme model 1928. best regards, Belgoman

Hallo RobW now your medal nr 2 : the crosses have allready been discussed and in this case the poor guy was wounded 3 times. The gilted crown stands for a War Volunteer, normally 6 mm but often seen near the 10 mm... (once again, it had to be seen clearly on the ribbon...) Fine medal, congratulations. regards, Belgoman

Hallo RobW, fine medals you show us from Australia, thanks. Your medal nr1 : As said before the only official red cross is the 10 mm one as seen in post 2. It exists with the red being red paint or red enamel (as the men had to buy their medals, the manufacturers proposed different qualities of crosses and... so different prices!)... and also as the years went by, the need of a 1st quality red cross reduced and the painted ones came. As stated before, some manufacturers made red crosses that did not fit with the official norms (but no one was going to check it on the ribbons). You find the red crosses for the Red Cross organisation (see the medal shown by Lambert) but they also manufactured crosses to be worn on the lapel ribbons or service ribbons. Post 10 and post 11 are good examples of a service ribbon devise worn on a normal ribbon. But hondreds of Belgians had it this way and no autority ever said anything... So no problem to keep them in your collections... I have identical items in my collection. Officially, the brass crossed anchors were introduced by royal decree of 3 november 1950 (yes 1950)... so I think that your sailor did not wait for it and still wanted to show he was a military sailor (the merchant marine ones had a single brass anchor of 10 mm high on the ribbon since 21/02/1921, the state marine sailors and fishers since 13/05/1936 ). He probably opted for crossed anchors foreseen for the service ribbon of the Décoration Maritime 1914 1918 (white enamelled cross)... as did the majority of the sailors then... Normally the back mourning bar is supposed to be worn alone on the ribbon (with no other devices!).. but it is frequently seen with the devices the owner should have gained or had. Regards, Belgoman

Hello Lambert, your medal tickled my curiosity and I went looking deeper and found that the comm. medal was also officially given to nurses (infirmières qui ont fait partie d'une formation sanitaire) that were part of a military sanitary organisation = say hospital . As no other devise figures on your ribbon and as your red cross is a typical original Red Cross one, one can state that your medal is a genuine medal for a nurse (that was probably a member of the Red Cross organisation). Seen the "freshness" of your medal, ribbon and cross, I suppose that the nurse did never wore it on her uniform and that the item rested in its box during years. Congratulations. I was wrong and, believe me, glad I was.

Hallo Lambert, this is indeed a Red Cross badge as I supposed. I have been through my documentation and note that the uniformed members of the Belgian Red Cross wore this kind of cross on the collar tips, on the peaked cap... and the nurses did were they found it would fit (headdress, collar tips, brest pocket, aso) !!! and this since the late 1920's... This kind of cross is still worn today. I do not know from where you got the medal but I start to be afraid a seller ornate the ribbon with a large nowadays cross to make the medal more attractive. Sorry and hope I am wrong. regards, Belgoman

Hi lambert, additional thoughts... the kind of red cross I see on your ribbon is similar to the kind the members of the Belgian Red Cross had, between both WWs, on the collar tips of their uniform jacket. They then had a kaki uniform much alike the military ones... But to be sure, we should have a picture of the back of the red cross (or at least a good description of it). I think these crosses came into use about the 1925's... If your medal is an original monted with this red cross one can assume that the owner received it after the "real fighters" got theirs (the medal was only instituted in 1919...) and took the liberty to choose for a "large" red cross... regards, belgoman