Luxembourg Luxembourg: Order of the Oak Crown

[Brigade-Piron]

Hello,

I've just got this medal and I wondered if you could give me any further details about it. I would really like to know a rough issue date for it if that is possible.

If anyone knows anything about this type of medals issues to Luxembourg Korean War veterans, I'd also be interested to hear that.

Many thanks,

Guy

[JPL]

Hi Guy,

The Order of the Oak Crown (Ordre de la Couronne de Chene) was founded on December 29, 1841 by King William of the Netherlands acting as Grand Duke of Luxembourg to honor civil and military merits of the inhabitants of Luxembourg.

As for your question about this medal being awarded for Luxembourg Korean War veterans, I checked by copy of Honors, Medals and Awards of the Korean War 1950-1953 by Kevin R. Ingraham and Luxembourg is not mentioned at all.

Hope this helps.

Jean-Paul

[Odulf]

The Order was indeed founded (inclusive the gold, silver and bronze medals) by King William II of the Netherlands in his capacity as Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He used the Order very much as a personal distinction, mainly to Dutch persons (some 2,600 Orders in 5 classes were awarded).

When King William III, who succeeded William II, died in 1890 the personal union was ended, and Luxumbourg had another Grand-Duke (Adolph of Nassau). Thus the Orde became a fully national order to Luxembourg.

[paul wood]

The Order was indeed founded (inclusive the gold, silver and bronze medals) by King William II of the Netherlands in his capacity as Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He used the Order very much as a personal distinction, mainly to Dutch persons (some 2,600 Orders in 5 classes were awarded).

When King William III, who succeeded William II, died in 1890 the personal union was ended, and Luxumbourg had another Grand-Duke (Adolph of Nassau). Thus the Orde became a fully national order to Luxembourg.

Thanks for that Odulf, so it seems the Dutch between 1841-90 followed the British precedent with the Order of the Guelph between 1815-37 which was effectively a British Order. William IV was supposed to have said of some bigwig who bored him, Give him a Guelph and get rid of him.

Paul

[Brigade-Piron]

That's very interesting! I believe that they may well have been issued to Lux troops in lieu of the Belgian Article 4 medal - not necissarily for Korean service - but often in Korean medal groups all the same.

Do you have any ideas about the age of my one?

BP