Belgium Help Requested: Two Military ribbons to identity on Belgian WW II General's tunic

[diwe]

Dear fellow collectors,

I purchased a uniform of a WW II Belgian major general and am trying to do a quick ribbon ID while the lot is en route. Most of the ribbons do not pose a challenge with the exception of two:

second row: first decoration on the left (magnified): blue ribbon with sword (?)

third row: last decoration on the right: red ribbon with four vertical stripes

Any help is highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

is the tunic identified to a specific general?

Best

Chris

[Hendrik]

Hello,

The "blue" ribbon would be the blue and black of the Order of Leopold II, with crossed swords indicating it being an award to a WWI veteran. The white striped red ribbon is the US Medal of Freedom I think.

Regards,

Hendrik

[diwe]

Hi,

is the tunic identified to a specific general?

Best

Chris

Chris,

unfortunately not. This will be the next challenge to identify the general based on the decorations.

Best

Dirk

[Chris Boonzaier]

Unusual that he has no higher allied docorations?

[diwe]

Hello,

The "blue" ribbon would be the blue and black of the Order of Leopold II, with crossed swords indicating it being an award to a WWI veteran. The white striped red ribbon is the US Medal of Freedom I think.

Regards,

Hendrik

Hendrik,

thanks so much!

Best

Dirk

[diwe]

Unusual that he has no higher allied docorations?

Yes, and it is interesting that he received the Medal of Freedom as a military officer. I guess I will have to start cross-referencing with Peter Verstraeten's book.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I know nothing about belgian medals... but could he have been captured early in the war, ergo no combat service after d-day?

[Laurence Strong]

I would have to agree with Hendrik. US medal of Freedom

Larry

[peter monahan]

Did one have to DO anything to get the Allied decorations or were four limbs, a pulse and the rank badges enough? No insult intended to you, Diwe, or your man, but presumably the Belgian General Staff had a few 'duds', just like every other military organization in recorded history.

I would think that someone who just didn't make the cut, for whatever reason, would be statistically more likely than an officer of general rank being in a POW camp. But just my two cents worth. Another intriguing puzzle and this group has pretty good track record on this sort of thing. [fingers crossed]

Peter

Edited January 13, 2013 by peter monahan

[VC89]

Some remarks/questions:

Could the US Medal of Freedom be rewarded retrospectively? The medal was created in 1946 but the uniform shows no decorations of the second world war. If the major general was active during that war he would have received (at least) the Belgian Commemorative Medal of the War 1940-1945.

Could it be an unofficial medal instead of the US Medal of Freedom? The Belgians are not very strictly with the rules of displaying medals on uniforms (for example: the Medal of Liège was allowed, the Four Days of the Yser Medal was allowed in some cases and I have a bar of an official and an unofficial (veteran) medal bound together in my collection). I also find it weird that he didn't receive a Belgian medal for the "act" that he did to receive the US medal.

Also shouldn't the crossed swords be attached to the bar of the Order of Leopold instead of the Order of Leopold II? I thought that the crossed swords should be attached to the medal of the highest order. (but the previous remark could awnser that)

[Herr General]

The Medal of Freedom was mainly given to Europeans for help to Allied Pilots/Soldiers. My guess would be that this General was in the resistance movement/pilot escape line.

[VC89]

If it is the Medal of Freedom I have found a book that could tell us more about the owner of the uniform. The title is "The US Medal of Freedom awardes to Belgians for Services during World War II" and is sold by the "Studiekring voor Faleristiek". It is written in English and cost 35 euro's (excl. the cost for sending it).

I don't have the book but if someone does he can take a look and search for the Major-General.

Or some interested people can buy it.

Link to the site of the "Studiekring":

http://www.skf-vzw.org/nederlands/index2.html

or the direct link: http://www.skf-vzw.org/nederlands/publicatie/Freedom/Medal-of-Freedom.jpg (if someone want to buy it they have to send an e-mail to the e-mail adress mentioned on the bottom left).

Edited April 11, 2013 by VC89