Jef

Hello Numis,

Saw the medal with french text.

Hello TJLA,

Vincent is right.  He attached the link. I enclose a pic of the front page. I suggest to send Guy a PM, I'm sure he will help. The book is full of different medallion centers with monograms used in the Belgian Military Medal which was  awarded during the reign of Belgian kings Leopold II, Albert I, Leopold III and even King Boudewijn. As Vincent wrote, it's written in Ducht and French, but the drawnings are cristal clear.

Succes,

Jef

Hello,

I took a pic of the backside of the Leopold order ( = Leopold I, three models) and the Leopold II order (Leopold II, right).

For the monogram of Albert I and Leopold III , I recommend the excelent work of Guy Deploige about Militair ereteken/ Décoration Militaire. Guy is a member on this forum, he certainly will help.

Hope this answers your question,

Jef

This must be the one

Jef

Thank you Johan

kind regards,

Jef

Hello,

Would like some help to ID a trouser. I bought the trouser in Germany early eighties. The seller told me it was a trouser of gebirgsjäger, now someone told me it's not a german item. Swiss or Swedish, but not German. In this way I would like to have a second opinion.

With kind regards and thanks from Flanders,

Jef

On ‎03‎/‎05‎/‎2013 at 15:26, Odulf said:

Note the guy standing left, he is wearing some kind of cross, but not the Chaplain's Cross, and a collar indicating some clerical status (a Scripture Reader perhaps?).

Hello Odulf,

Attached are pics of a man in my village ( Flanders). He wears a similar cross on his greatcoat as well as on his uniform.

He was a novice priest. He was not a priest yet when the war started. Immediately when war broke out he went to Britain and went into the Belgian Army as an brancardier ( Strecher bearer). After the war he was ordained as a priest in 1926.

kind regards,

Jef

Not all my merit. my good friend Belgoman taught me a lot.

Jef

Hello Stuka,

Found the attached medals on the net  with three different ribbons…..unfortunately without the documents. The medal I attached in previous message was given in 2013, so not that long ago. The medals I attached now are older.

You must know the Rhine veteran organisation was erected in 1929 and changed many times her name, the name was Bond der Oudgedienden van het Bezettingsleger/ Féderation des Anciens de l' Armee d'Occupation. Later in 1931, an other name occurs: Oude Rijnwacht /Ancienne Garde au Rhin. Sometimes I wonder if it was the same organisation….. In 1935 a name exist: Bond der Oudgedienden van het Rijnleger/Fedération des Anciens de l' Armee du Rhin, which is nearly the name of the first name. I use the names which are used in documents.( member cards or medal documents, I found). Then we have WWII.....

After WWII we got an new occupation army in Germany. The "Oude Rijnwacht" is changed into Nationale Bond Oude Rijnwacht/ Féderation Nationale Ancienne Garde au Rhin. They reorganise their veteran organisation and the name change once more into Federatie der Oudgedienden van de Rijn/Federation Nationale des Anciens du Rhin . Meanwhile the organisations have their own ( non -official) medals.

Later, since a lot of Belgian Regiments are in Germany, some organisations want to  unite in one association. In 1947 the NUOB , Nationale Unie der Oudgedienden van de Bezettingslegers/ 'L Union Nationale des Anciens des Armées d'Occupation ( UNAO) was erected. In  1955, the German Army (West Germany) becomes part of the NATO and the name of the Belgian occupation army is changed into Belgische Strijdkrachten in Duitsland... BSD. The old name of the Association  does not suits anymore and now we got the Nationale Unie der Oudgedienden en van de Belgische Strijdkrachten in Duitsland ( NUOB-BSD) or in french Union Nationale des Anciens des Armées d'Occupation et des Forces Belges en Allemagne.   Again a lot of new ( non -official) medals are made.

In 2005 BSD comes to an end and the name of the Association changes again. Now we have : Koninklijke Nationale unie van de Bezettingslegers in Duitsland, de Belgische strijdkrachten in Duitsland en buiten de grenzen , Royale Union Nationale des Armées d' Occupation, des forces Belges en Allemagne et hors Fronti2res, (RUNAO-FBA-HF).

in 2010, for the last time ( so far...) another change into Koninklijke Federatie der Militairen in het Buitenland (KFMB) or  Féderation Royale des Militaires a l'Etranger, FRME.

Again, every Association has it's own medals.

 I hope the  information is exact, you see it's quite complicated. So far there are no catalogues of non official  Belgian medals. meanwhile we have to do our own research. 

Jef

Here some other medals of that Belgian occupation army through the ages. Pic used  from forum Medaille.Be (with respect)

Jef

Hello Stuka,

I see the medal is still existing…. with another ribbon.

Jef

Thank you Guy. I know a library where I can find those MB's

kind regards,

Jef

Hello Guy,

Do you know which article ( source, date) is dealing with this medal please. I have several articles of Mr Borné put together in a  map but was not able to find this medal. This  means there are other articles I don't have. Thank you.

regards,

jef

Dear Peter,

The problem is, the writer is not a Vet but was a child of 12 years old during WWI. In his late eighties he wrote  some memories of his childhood during WWI.

With kind regards,

Jef

Thank you Peter,

The fact it was written in  memoirs ( ca. 1980)  makes it sometimes hard to believe. Wish I found a diary with more detailed information.

At a moment I even was thinking about Americans, because the 91st and 37th US divisions were in the area. But I was told they wore their overseas cap and not the campaing hat.

kind regards,

Jef

Thank you Peter once more. A few years ago I published a study for the Belgian branch WFA  about the Second and Fifth Armies during 8-11 november 1918. I'm afraid there were no Canadian troops. But at the right side of the Fifth army was the zone of the First Army. Some parts  were Canadian sectors. I will check these sectors. Now I know Canadian mounted troops wore stettons  I will check Edmonds' official history , Becke's Order of Battle and James Battles and engagements.

With kind regards,

Jef

Thank you Peter for this. Wondering which Canadian mounted units were here in South West Flanders, Belgium, december 1918?  The area was liberated end October 1918 by the Second Army. The only "geographical Canadians" who fought here was the 1st /Newfoundland Rgt. That time British dominion.

with kind regards from Flanders,

Jef

1 hour ago, peter monahan said:

Actually, there is photographic evidence that the Canadian Light Horse , a composite unit made up of squadrons from 3-4 Cdn pre-war cavalry units, including the 1st Hussars and perhaps the B.C Horse - mentioned in your Frontiersmen site.  They took their Stetsons to France with them.  I have a friend, ex-1st Hussars, who wears one as part of our educational programme.  At least one of the Canadian Mounted Rifles units also had them, in Canada, probably England and maybe France, before their conversion to infantry and, oddly, some officers of the PPCLI also wore them as a personal affectation, though again not sure whether that survived as far as France.

So, if you have a photo of men in Stetsons in Flanders in 1918, I'd say the odds are on them being Light Horsemen, not Frontiersmen.  As far as I know - no expert - the Frontiersmen never saw action as a unit, thought the 210th CEF Battalion bore the subsidiary title 'Frontiersmen', presumably from as an indication that the original cadre included some of them. 

Dear Peter,

Thank you for your answer. I'm afraid I don't have a photograph. The only thing I read in memoirs ( written in 1980) is that the soldiers wore cowboy hats and were Canadiens???? That's why I was thinking of frontiersmen...

kind regards,

Jef

Dear Gents,

Is there a possebility some Frontiersmen were active in Flanders in November/December 1918? A local diary speaks about Canadians with hats. As far as I'm concerned Canadiands didn't wear hats during WWI or am I wrong. Frontiersmen???

with kind regards,

Jef

Thank you Bayern. I'm still looking to photographs, maybe I'll find  similar retangular insignia?

kind regards,

Jef

Thank You Bayern for your answer. I was wondering what the retangular insignia means under the Fatiche diguerra. His POW number?

Kind regards from Flanders,

Jef

Hello Vincent,

second from left is a Belgian commemoration medal of the Rhine Army post WWII ( veteranorganisation.) Medal exist in gilt, silver coloured and bronze

Third from left: Nationale vereniging der vrijwilligers  veldleger 11/11/1918- 28/6/1919. Some time ago I sent you some information about Militaria Belgica . You can find detailed info on page 49 of an 1992 issue. Also exists in gilt, silver coloured and bronze.

Jef

Dear Gents,

Would like to have any information on this uniform please. The man was a POW in Flanders end 1917 and 1918. Have been looking in books and on the net and I think the man wears a "Fatiche di Guerra) ribbon without a single star. This means one year front service.(?)

Does anyone knows the insignia worn under the ribbon? Could it be a POW number????It is also difficult to recognize the collar patches, as it depends on the colour.

I would be grateful for any help.

With kind regards from Flanders,

Jef

Wonderful Vincent. Have here some additional info from the Somerset County Gazette. The book written by M Claridge , Glastonbury's other legacy ( I travel once a year to G'bury) gives detailed information about names of Belgian families etc... Again you have a nice medal, although not official, but  with history in your collection.

Jef

Forgot to mention. The newspaper is a commemorative edition 1914-2014 of the Somerset County Gazette , available in the Taunton museum.

Jef

Hello Vincent,

Sorry, don't have an answer on your question. The only thing I know  is, Taunton has a wonderful museum. Two years ago I visited the military museum of the Somerset light infantry etc.... If you don't find an answer here, you might try https://museumofsomerset.org.uk/somerset-military-museum-3/?

Lots of succes,

Jef