Belgium Belgian Sailor with British War Medals

[coldstream]

Ladies and Gentlemen

I bought this card on Ebay UK recently mainly due to the fact that the right hand figure is wearing a mix of Belgian and British medals from the Great War. With the help of various internet sources I believe that I have managed to identify the right hand man's medals but am at a loss regarding the other man.

[coldstream]

If I have it right I believe that this man is wearing:-

The Civil decoration for Bravery, Devotion and Philanthropy,

British War Medal?

Maritime Decoration 1914 - 1918,

British Mercantile Marine medal,

War Commemorative medal with Crown,

Belgian Victory Medal.

He also appears to wear something in the jacket lapel I have been unable to identify.

Edited April 26, 2011 by coldstream

[coldstream]

The other man may be wearing the Silver Service Star with Bar for the Congo at position one but I am uncertain on this and the rest of his medals?

[coldstream]

I wonder if anyone can assist with the unidentified medals and tell me if it was common practise for both British and Belgian medals to be issued to the same man?

By the way the card has a trademark for 'Photo Joseph, Anvers, Klapdorp 87'on it but alas, has nothing written on it.

Best regards Simon

[Vatjan]

Hi,

Some 700 belgian merchant marine sailors received the british mercantile marine & victory medal.

They also received belgian maritime awards & victory & commemorative medals.

There are 2 main groups: the first, mainly from Antwerp who sailed on the ships of the Antwerp-Congo line, the second: mainly from Ostend who sailed on the ships of the Ostend-Dover line.

Names can be checked on the UK NA site, alas no crewlists have been found yet, that could link the sailors to their ship.

The second person is wearing Belgian Congo award: A gilt service star (model 1910), medal in the Order of the Lion, another medal (hard to tell if it is also an Order of the Lion or an Order of the African Star), silver service star (model 1889).

Best regards,

Jan

[coldstream]

Jan

Thanks very much for the identification and information regarding British awards. I'm pretty sure that the victory medal shown is the Belgian issue so it looks like he has the War medal and Mercantile Marine medal as his British decorations.

Best regards Simon :cheers:

[Vatjan]

Yes, of course, my mistake.

They received British War Medals & Mercantle Marine Medals.

Jan

[coldstream]

Thanks again Jan, another question I'm afraid but how easy is it to access and research Belgian records for service personnel?

The reason I ask is that along with this card I have another couple showing Belgians wearing orders and medals which I would like to research a little more.

Regards Simon

[Laurence Strong]

I have/had an uncle in Belgium who used to wear a little lapel version of his POW medal ribbon....it was just a little bar (maybe 2x10 mm wide)the color of the ribbon. Sort of an "undress ribbon". I wonder if that is what those are on the fellows lapel. Thus when he removes his medals he still dispalys his ribbons.........

Edited April 27, 2011 by Laurence Strong

[Vatjan]

I have/had an uncle in Belgium who used to wear a little lapel version of his POW medal ribbon....it was just a little bar (maybe 2x10 mm wide)the color of the ribbon. Sort of an "undress ribbon". I wonder if that is what those are on the fellows lapel. Thus when he removes his medals he still dispalys his ribbons.........

That is exactly what these are.

They exist for all medals.

Jan

[coldstream]

Many thanks for clearing that up Laurence and Jan.

Regards Simon

[dcollect]

" The second person is wearing Belgian Congo award: A gilt service star (model 1910), medal in the Order of the Lion, another medal (hard to tell if it is also an Order of the Lion or an Order of the African Star), silver service star (model 1889). "

the middle 2 medals are a order of the lion and a order of the african star , all 4 medals are totally related to belgian congo so i think this person has done a great service there , nice set of medals

[coldstream]

Many thanks for the identification.

Simon :cheers:

[love4history]

Ah, you were the one overbidding me on that pic on ebay

Nice catch! One "colonial" veteran and one WWI merchant marine vet.

Father and son? Who knows?