Belgian Lifesaving Awards

[numis]

Re the medals of THE SOCIETE ROYALE AT CENTRALE  DES SAUVETEURS BELGES:

Can anyone advise

(a) if these were available to the military 

 and ( b) what the award criteria were for the different types

and (c) whether CITATIONS might be findable anywhere

[VC89]

I once read an article of André Borné about this medal. It was in French, a language that is not my strong suit, but what I understood was that the medal was not an award but a membership insignia. The form of the medal depends on the period it was given and/or  the type of membership.

 

Kind Regards,

Vincent

 

 

[numis]

Thanks for responding Vincent

Can anyone add anything.There seems to have been more than one type of medal 

[Hendrik]

Hello Numis,

The medal you refer to in your original post is, as Vincent pointed out, not an official Belgian medal. Its obverse bears the head of the sovereign under which reign it was issued (i.e. Leopold II or Albert I - I can't recall seeing any other king's representation).

Official Belgian lifesaving awards were created during the reigns of Leopold I and Leopold II and you might wander over to Hendrik's Medal Corner and find then in the "Other Awards" section.

Regards,

Hendrik

[numis]

Thank you to those who have replied and provided information

The Societe seems to have had at least two types of medal , with varieties at least of one type, as follows;

(1) Larger size medal with struck inscription " Courage Devouemont Humanite ".Specimen noted with bust of Leo.2  named to F A Majolini.Silvergilt 32mm by Wurden with Crown suspension

Note : recipient Majolini also had   the official Devouemont Courage  Humanite Medal of Leo.1 26mm in Silver by Hart (F.Majolini , Bubize 17 Fev 1858 ) Citation not yet traced. Can one ? and ( b) Societe Medal recorded below 

(2) Smaller size Medal . Specimens noted as follow ( all Leo.2 issues ) (i) Silver 26mm by Wurden ( F.Majolini )  (ii) Bronzegilt by Wurden ( Mce.Morawitz ) Rosette on ribbon (iii) Bronze by Tisch ( T.Tamar ) 

Further info would be welcome 

[numis]

As noted above , the Societe seems to have had a Bravery Medal.

However no literature in English about it yet seen by me ( ditto re the other medal of the Societe )