Belgium Landwacht medal

[Herr General]

Hendrik, I have a strange shapped belgium medal with a black and white ribbon. I was told that this was a "Landwacht" medal. Do you know this medal? And what would it be worth?

[Ed_Haynes]

Hendrik, I have a strange shapped belgium medal with a black and white ribbon. I was told that this was a "Landwacht" medal. Do you know this medal? And what would it be worth?

Have you tried Antonio's various Belgian ribbon pages?

http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/cintas/cintaseu.htm#b

[Herr General]

Thank you Ed for that interesting site. I didn't know that one. I couldn't find that "Landwacht" Ribbon but I have bookmarked that site!

[Ed_Haynes]

Thank you Ed for that interesting site. I didn't know that one. I couldn't find that "Landwacht" Ribbon but I have bookmarked that site!

His site and Lukasz's

http://www.medals.lava.pl/index.htm

need to be at the top of any "ribbons" bookmark list!

For medals, Megan's site

http://www.medals.org.uk/

and the OMSA database

http://www.omsa.org/photopost/index.php

are at the head of my personal list.

[Laurence Strong]

Yes, thanks for that link Ed now I just got to find the home page for it

[Ed_Haynes]

Yes, thanks for that link Ed now I just got to find the home page for it

Which one? Antonio's?

http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/

[ErikMuller]

Which one? Antonio's?

http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/

Black and white ribbon and the term 'Landwacht' (Country Guard) sounds more Dutch to me!

[Herr General]

Here's the medal:

[Hendrik]

Hello Roel,

Not a Belgian medal in my opinion. I concur with Erik : very likely to be a Dutch one ... BTW, a bit off topic in this thread on the Belgian Leopold II Order !

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Vatjan]

I think it is Belgian, but an unofficial long service award of sorts to the "Rijkswacht - Gendarmerie" National Police Force

[Laurence Strong]

I have been trolling all the site's I can find for Dutch medals with no luck. Vatjan could be right!

[Jacky]

"Landwacht" was the name for those collaborators in the Netherlands,

as members of the NSB (National Socialism Movement) they were very hatred by those patriotic....

However I can't find a clue to this medal nor a link or something with information about the medals.....

Maybe the information thread or the personal research facility will help???

Kind regards,

Jacky

[Ed_Haynes]

A moderator should really split much of this off into another topic thread, for, however interesting it may be, it has nothing to do with the Leopold II Order.

[Herr General]

I'm sorry, I already asked Hendrik by pm to remove my posts here.

[Vatjan]

I agree we should split, the thread, but I'm pretty certain it is a Belgian "Rijkswacht" unofficial medal.

Rijk (= Realm) means more or less the same as Land (=Country or State)

We Belgians had untill a few years ago two national police forces: the "ordinary" National Police Force and the Rijkswacht- Gendarmerie. They have now been fused together, I have to admit though that I would have a hard time trying to explain the difference between these two.

Now, somebody please split this thread.

Jan

Edited August 13, 2006 by Vatjan

[Hendrik]

Now, somebody please split this thread.

Done ! As per popular demand

[ErikMuller]

Done ! As per popular demand

Thanks

Now that I've seen it I definitely think its Belgian. No Dutchman would design such an ugly medal

Seriously, the grenade is Belgian style and the uniform on it is certainly not Dutch. I guess the VR stands for "Vrijwillige Rijkswacht" (Voluntary State Guard) or something like that.

[Jacky]

Yes, and except for the uniform and the grenade,

it's also true that belgium has a certain history of un-official medals.....

So I'm lenied to think that it is a Belgian un-official medal.

More precize Flanders.....

Kind regards,

Jacky

p.s

yes Eric, You're true, we dutchies have a better known history of beautifull medals

all of ours are designed by Jan des Bouvrie and many other designers.....

Speaking of designers,

We have recently lost a great designer,

No greater designer had been involved with the Dutch Army in all his accents,

Yes, collectors of dutch medals know who I mean,

Frans Smits

Not only a designer but also decorated with;

Knight of the order of Orange Nassau

Resistance Commemorative Cross

War Commemorative Cross

Edited August 14, 2006 by Jacky

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Gentlemen,

I purchased the above mentioned medal in the recent GMIC Auction and notice it has the word "REX" on the shield / Post?.

Sorry I mis-read the word it being so small it actually reads "LEX"

Kevin in Deva

Edited September 30, 2006 by Kev in Deva