Hendrik

Hi Tony, I strongly suggest paying a visit to http://www.medalcorner.fr/ ... For the above three, look under Belgium - Others and then Leopold II era. Regards, Hendrik

I totally agree with the above and, furthermore, Royal Decrees and such can be misinterpreted and lead to variations of what is the "Order of Leopold II with swords" ... Regards, Hendrik

Hello Tony, You are correct as to the time periods for crossed swords and bilingual motto but, unfortunately, the swords are not of the original official design. The sword blades are quite different as can be seen in the picture underneath. Regards, Hendrik

Invalid link ...

Hi Richard, According to their website, files are only made available on the spot so a local researcher seems to be the answer. Well done on Verdure's military service document - a baker turned into an excellent NCO and ended up as policeman 🙂 Regards, Hendrik

Hello Richard, These medals are recorded in the "Journal Officiel de la République Française" which is researchable at https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb34378481r/date.r=Journal+officiel+de+la+republique+francaise+Lois+et+decrets.langFR . The search engine is not perfect and some of the scanned pages are not entirely legible but it is a very useful tool. Your man was Georges Edouard Alexandre Verdure and he joined the police force in November 1901 as trainee. He is mentioned as having been awarded, in February 1910, with the Medal of Honour for Courage and Devotion 1st class in silver. The citation indicates he was, at the time, a "sous-brigadier" in Paris and had been awarded the 2nd class silver medal previously. He received the 1st class medal for having distinguished himself in difficult circumstances and in lifesaving from the Seine river in 1908 and 1909. In March 1922 he was awarded the long service medal for municipal police with the rank of "brigadier". The medal of honour in your picture seems to be the 2nd class silver one (which he must have received between 1901 and 1910) unless you can find traces of gilding on the oak leaves suspension ... Relevant pages from the Journals are attached. Regards, Hendrik

Thanks for the sleuth work Bill - great job ! Regards, Hendrik

Thanks Bill, one learns a bit every day 🙂 However, in the "Call of Duty" John Strandberg writes that about 4,000 unprefixed serial numbered medals were issued to Army personnel ... so maybe not all medals thus numbered will be 1920-30 era manufactured ones ? Regards, Hendrik

Hello Duncan, The reverse reads "Society of reunited friends 1914" ... Porte du Parc is a neighbourhood in Mons. A very local commemorative medal, it would seem. Regards, Hendrik

Hello Peron, Charles S. Grant from Iowa City, Iowa would be the recipient of this medal according to the OMSA medal roll website : http://omsa.org/MedalRolls/US_A_Sp.php Regards, Hendrik

Hello Duncan, LA GETTE For their defence along the small Gete river (Gette in French), a number of units, mostly belonging to the 2nd Cavalry Division and the Mounted Cavalry Brigade as well as some attached artillery units, transmission troops, etc. were cited (1946) for this rearguard mission in which they withstood several violent enemy attacks on 13 and 14 May 1940 until ordered to withdraw. FLANDRES 1940 Awarded (1946 citation) to the 1st, 5th and 6th groups of the 1st Aeronautic Regiment for heroism and dedication by its air crews while performing reconnaissance flights without fighter protection and opposed by enemy aviation and anti-aircraft fire. Regards, Hendrik

Hello Michael, PM sent ... Regards, Hendrik

Hi, Has anyone ever seen an award document for this medal to an American ? Theoretically non-Belgians could be awarded the medal provided they served meritoriously and with good conduct in the Belgian armed forces, armed resistance, clandestine press, intelligence services or on sea on the side of the allies between 10 May 1940 and 7 May 1945 (included). Their number must be quite limited. Regards, Hendrilk

Hello Duncan, The bars for the Belgian WW2 Commemorative Medal reflect unit citations and thus presence in the unit(s) cited during the specific battles would be the criterium. ESCAUT The Belgian Section of the Royal Navy received a citation in 1945 for its glorious participation in the liberation of the island of Walcheren (Netherlands) which was to lead to the opening of the branches of the Schelde river (Escaut in French) and the port of Antwerp. WINTERBEEK Three units were cited in 1947 for extending the defensive Gete river line northwards and withstanding enemy pressure on their Winterbeek rivulet positions. The 2nd Guides Regiment, the 1st Regiment of Cyclist Carabineers and the IInd Group of the 19th Artillery Regiment thus allowed the redeployment of units in their sector to the KW-Line (i.e. Koningshooikt-Waver line, an anti-tank line protecting Brussels). CANAL DE WESSEM In 1945 the Brigade « Libération » was cited for having maintained the liaison between the British and American armies by holding an extended and very exposed front with its meagre forces and using offensive and defensive actions to misguide the enemy as to its strength. The brigade successfully made the first attack in the offensive that lead the British 2nd Army from the Wessem Canal to the Meuse. Regards, Hendrik

Thank you for your reply, Dave. I'm finding it odd that the "CORP." should stand for "Corps" as there seems to be sufficient space for an "S" instead of the dot ... D/ for Division ... should have thought of that myself 😉 Regards, Hendrik

Gents, I've recently acquired a set of 5 items once awarded to Brinley R. Evans of the Priory of Wales of the Order of St. John. There is the Serving Brother Badge, a Service Medal (2 bars) and 3 items I have no information on. This leads me to the following questions : The rim inscription on the Serving Brother Badge reads : "CORP. SUPT. B.R. EVANS ANDREW CORP. 1957" I'm assuming the "rank" abbreviation stands for Corporation Superintendent ? Does anyone know of the Andrew Corporation, a charitable organisation perhaps ? On the Service Medal, the rim inscription is : "26508 D/SUPT. B.R. EVANS PRIORY for WALES" Deputy Superintendent, I'm thinking ... As to the remaining three items, all information is welcome - identification as to what they are would already be great ! Silver marks are all Birmingham ones for either 1930 or 1934 - The makers' marks TJS and A.S & Co. don't ring any bells with me ... Regards, Hendrik

Very nice, Flàvio. I'm looking forward to seeing more 😎 Regards, Hendrik

Hi All, Further research into this award has led me to the excellent paper "The Campaign Medals of Don Juan Van Halen, Belgium 1831" by Mr. Johan Van Heesch. Thus, I have learnt that the numbered medals were either in bronze or gilded bronze with the exception of one gold one (to a German wine merchant !) and had a suspension loop for wearing. It would appear that at the time some bronze and silver table medals were struck "for collectors" ... Thanks to the aforementioned paper, it has been possible to identify the recipient of medal no. 141 as the then 18-year old shoemaker Martin Debruyn from Brussels who was wounded on 23 September 1830. Regards, Hendrik

Gents, I recently had the good fortune of acquiring a numbered example of this uncommon medal awarded to the volunteers of the town of Brussels that chased the Dutch occupying army from their town between 23 and 27 September 1830 during the struggle for independence of Belgium. Pictures say more than words so here goes : The last picture clearly shows the number 141 at the bottom. As can be seen, the medal is gilded and here's where my confusion starts : in past auctions I have seen this medal described as silver gilt (numbered), "gilt AE metal" (i.e. bronze or other metal alloy and plain silver). The latter two were unnumbered. Von Heyden in his book claims the medal is in bronze ... Could it be that only numbered medals were gilded in the production process ? All information is welcome ! Some other data on this medal : Obverse centre reads "Septembre 1830 Union Force" and around the edge "Aux braves défenseurs de Bruxelles par leur commandant Don Juan van Halen" Reverse centre reads "Au patriotisme belge courageusement éprouvé" and around the edge "Donné en souvenir sous la régence de Surlet de Chokier en Juin MDCCCXXXI" and, in this case, "No. 141". Regards, Hendrik

Hello Duncan, The bar was awarded for participation in air operations flown from a UK territory base between 25 June 1940 and 8 May 1945. Regards, Hendrik

Hello chechaco1, By decree of 5 October 1920, the French Colonial Medal can be awarded without a bar for long service in peace time : to NCO's and other ranks 10 years of service (15 years for officers) of which 6 years were served in active duty and with distinction in specific colonies. Regards, Hendrik

Hello Michael, I think there's a mix-up somewhere ... Here's how I read it : Croix de Guerre with bronze star on October 23, 1916 (not Sept.) Ditto with silver star on April 29, 1917 posthumously (KIA on April 16) Military Medal, posth., in 1920 *** Croix de Guerre with bronze star on Sept. 10, 1917, serving in the Orient Army in 1918 and finishing the war alive and being demobbed in Sept. 1919 There seem to be 2 different people involved here ... Regards, Hendrik

Michael, No, it's on Gallica. Fill in the name you want to research between quotation marks (top left) on : https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb34378481r/date.r=Journal+officiel+de+la+republique+francaise+Lois+et+decrets.langFR Regards, Hendrik

Hello Michael, Here's the entry in the "Journal Officiel de la République Française" of 3 January 1924 for the award of the posthumous Médaille Militaire to Pvt. Roques (listed among the 150th Infantry Regiment recipients): Regards, Hendrik

Hello Michael, In my opinion (and a most humble one it is) he would have been entitled to one with the FRANCE bar. Regards, Hendrik