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    Belgium Wound Badge


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    Not a real award or decoration but related and somewhat resembling the SWB in purpose.

    dsc01759qa8.jpg

    This buttonholebadge has the writing in front: "soldat Belge hors combat" and is numbered at the back. It was given to Belgian soldiers on convalescenceleave in France. Purpose was to easily recognise this category of soldiers and not mistake them for deserters. So unlike the SWB which was to avoid public scorn this badge was meant to avoid the MP's ;) The personal details and badgenumber were registered by the hospitaladministration and the soldier was supposed to give back the badge once the leave ended.

    Can you imagine what research fieldday one would have if these registers would somewhere, somehow by rediscovered? :rolleyes:

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    Yes it was Kev.... were you the one getting it?... :)

    I didn't really give chase because like I said these badges were supposed to be returned and were reused for the next casualty... so IMO you can't really say that it was attributed to anyone.... rather used by...

    I went after his BWM for a while though but price went too high so I had to give up ... :(

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    Hallo love4history,

    Sorry to say I didnt get it, ;) I like the design though,

    Can you give any link to the regulations concerning this item?

    It seems a lot of bother to just give a badge out to a soldier who was

    recovering from wounds, when a leave / convalescent pass would have

    had to have been issued as a matter of course?

    Kevin in Deva. :beer:

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    • 4 years later...
    • 4 weeks later...

    A bit of legislation:

    By decree of 25 february 1919 the mutilated and invalided were issued a military uniform (kaki), but in a circulary of dec 15th, 1920 they were ordered to hand in that uniform again in lieu of which they received the above pictured armband.

    The seal visible should be that of the Ministry of National Defense (there are similar armbands issued and with the seals of private organisations)

    As stated above the invalidity of the soldier had to be above 30%. If below 30 % but above 10% he received another badge (broken sword surrounded by laurel and oakleaves on a blue 6-pointed field)

    Warinvalids when wearing their armband should be saluted by military personnel on duty.

    (all taken from Distinctions Honorifiques de la Belgique, André Charles Borné)

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    • 7 years later...

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