Netherlands The Dutch Expedition Cross

[ErikMuller]

On request of Rick Research:

Ereteken voor Belangrijke Krijgsbedrijven

By Royal Decree no. 123 of 31 May, 1833 Prince William of Orange (later to be King William II) proposed the institution of a General Service Decoration. However, it took 36 years before this award was actually created. By Royal Decree no. 13 of 19 February, 1869 the Cross for Important Military Operations was instituted.

It was to be awarded to those who had participated in major military operations (the so-called expeditions; because of this the cross is also known as the Expedition Cross) and to those that had committed an act of gallantry while in military service. The cross should always have at least one clasp attached to the ribbon. An exception to this rule is when the cross was awarded for gallantry, in which case there should be a Crown for the Honourable Mention or two crossed swords (for the Sword of Honour) attached to the ribbon. It is, however, unlikely that the recipient of such gallantry awards didn't receive clasps to his Cross.

It is a four-armed silver-coloured cross, 39 mm in diameter. The obverse has a portret King William III in a round badge, surrounded by a garter with the legend "VOOR KRIJGSVERRIGTINGEN" (for military operations) and a wreath of oak leaves. On all four the arms is a stylised "W" (for William).

The reverse is plain.

The ribbon is light green with yellowish orange borders. Silver clasps (42x9 mm) are worn over the ribbon.

At institution 6 clasps were approved for military operations dating back to 1846. In the years afterwards 27 other clasps came to being. The last one for Timor in 1942, making it a total of 33 clasps:

"Bali 1846"

"Bali 1848"

"Bali 1849"

"Borneo 1850-1854"

"Boni 1859"

"Borneo 1859-1863"

"Guinea 1869-1870"

"Deli 1872"

"Atjeh 1873-1874"

"Atjeh 1873-1876"

"Samalangan 1877"

"Atjeh 1873-1880"

"Atjeh 1873-1885"

"Atjeh 1873-1890"

"Tamiang 1893"

"Atjeh 1873-1896"

"Atjeh 1896-1900"

"Korintji 1903"

"Djambi 1901-1904"

"Gaj? en Alaslanden 1904"

"Atjeh 1901-1905"

"Midden-Sumatra 1903-1907"

"Zuid-Celebes 1905-1908"

"Flores 1907-1908"

"Kleine Soenda-eilanden 1905-1909"

"Atjeh 1906-1910"

"Nieuw-Guinea 1907-1915"

"Atjeh 1911-1914"

"W.Afd. Borneo 1912-1914"

"N. Guinea 1907-1915"

"Ceram 1915"

"W-Kust Atjeh 1925-1927"

"Timor 1942"

Edited June 4, 2006 by ErikMuller

[ErikMuller]

Group of three:

- Expedition Cross with clasps 'Zuid-Celebes 1905-1908' and 'Atjeh 1896-1900'

- Lombok Cross 1894

- Officers' Long Service Cross

Edited June 5, 2006 by ErikMuller

[ErikMuller]

Group of three, attributed to Captain W.F. de Kock van Leeuwen, secretary/keeper of records

- Expedition Cross with clasp 'Atjeh 1873-1896'

- Lombok Cross

- Knight of the Order of the Wendish Crown of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Edited June 4, 2006 by ErikMuller

[ErikMuller]

Miniatures of the beforementioned Captain W.F. de Kock van Leeuwen

- Lombok Cross 1894

- Expedition Cross with clasp 'Atjeh 1873-96'

[ErikMuller]

Pair:

- Expedition Cross with clasp 'Atjeh 1873-1874' and Crown for the Honourable Mention

- Atchin Medal 1873-1874

[ErikMuller]

Pair of miniatures

Same as the above. On clasp 'Atjeh 1873-74'.

[ErikMuller]

I will leave it at this for the moment, maybe later I will add some pictures of recipients and award documents... now time for a nice cold beer

[Guest Rick Research]

I had quite a few of these, but so far back (early 1970s) that I only recall having the clasps Atjeh, Korintji, Djambi, Midden-Sumatra, and Kleine Soenda-eilanden on various crosses, all before World War 1.

So long ago, in fact, that I do not even have XEROXES of them because (yes, children, this is a True Story) flat page copiers did not even exist for general use before the early 1970s. I don't think I saw one before 1973 or 1974. (Before that carbon stencils were made for typed text copies, no way to do "photographic" imagery. S'Truth!!!!)

The exotic, mysterious, and obscure bars have always intrigued me. NOW I regret selling them all off-- probably when I first turned seriously to Imperial German awards from my "all and sundry" collecting days.

Most of them probably came from Peter Hlinka in New York City in the late 1960s. I shudder to think now how little I paid for them all-- and how little I sold them for. Haven't seen any in all the years since!!!

The ONLY award document I ever saw had many bars including the WW2 Timor entwined in the design.

[windies]

On request of Rick Research:

Ereteken voor Belangrijke Krijgsbedrijven

By Royal Decree no. 123 of 31 May, 1833 Prince William of Orange (later to be King William II) proposed the institution of a General Service Decoration. However, it took 36 years before this award was actually created. By Royal Decree no. 13 of 19 February, 1869 the Cross for Important Military Operations was instituted.

It was to be awarded to those who had participated in major military operations (the so-called expeditions; because of this the cross is also known as the Expedition Cross) and to those that had committed an act of gallantry while in military service. The cross should always have at least one clasp attached to the ribbon. An exception to this rule is when the cross was awarded for gallantry, in which case there should be a Crown for the Honourable Mention or two crossed swords (for the Sword of Honour) attached to the ribbon. It is, however, unlikely that the recipient of such gallantry awards didn't receive clasps to his Cross.

It is a four-armed silver-coloured cross, 39 mm in diameter. The obverse has a portret King William III in a round badge, surrounded by a garter with the legend "VOOR KRIJGSVERRIGTINGEN" (for military operations) and a wreath of oak leaves. On all four the arms is a stylised "W" (for William).

The reverse is plain.

The ribbon is light green with yellowish orange borders. Silver clasps (42x9 mm) are worn over the ribbon.

At institution 6 clasps were approved for military operations dating back to 1846. In the years afterwards 27 other clasps came to being. The last one for Timor in 1942, making it a total of 33 clasps:

"Bali 1846"

"Bali 1848"

"Bali 1849"

"Borneo 1850-1854"

"Boni 1859"

"Borneo 1859-1863"

"Guinea 1869-1870"

"Deli 1872"

"Atjeh 1873-1874"

"Atjeh 1873-1876"

"Samalangan 1877"

"Atjeh 1873-1880"

"Atjeh 1873-1885"

"Atjeh 1873-1890"

"Tamiang 1893"

"Atjeh 1873-1896"

"Atjeh 1896-1900"

"Korintji 1903"

"Djambi 1901-1904"

"Gaj? en Alaslanden 1904"

"Atjeh 1901-1905"

"Midden-Sumatra 1903-1907"

"Zuid-Celebes 1905-1908"

"Flores 1907-1908"

"Kleine Soenda-eilanden 1905-1909"

"Atjeh 1906-1910"

"Nieuw-Guinea 1907-1915"

"Atjeh 1911-1914"

"W.Afd. Borneo 1912-1914"

"N. Guinea 1907-1915"

"Ceram 1915"

"W-Kust Atjeh 1925-1927"

"Timor 1942"

[windies]

Greetings All

Although I am not (yet ) a collector of Military Artifacts, I am a collector of sorts of Military History concerning my Great Grandfather.

Vincent Windrich

He was in the Huzaren Regt # 5 and the Dragonder Regt # 8 for 10 years 1 Month and 26 Days, after which time he was in the

Uhlanen Regt # 2 for 3 years 3 Months and 26 days. He received on April 5th 1901 decree # 88 to wear the "Jubil?ums Erinnerungs Medaille

of Z.M Franz Josef 1, Keizer van Oostenrijk en Koning van Hongarije (Emperor of Austria,King of Hungary). He also received a Bronze Medaille??

on August 8th 1901 as well as the above mentioned Expedition Cross 1901 - 1904 Djambi. He departed Rotterdam on June 22 1895 on the Steam ship

"Bromo" and arrived in Batavia on July 30 1895. He spent the next 11 years in various battalions being sent back to The Netherlandson Sept 13 1906

on the "S.S. Koning Willem 1"

Any Information would begreatly appreciated as well as pictures of the various awards, I will try and upload some originals I have

Thanking You in advance

[windies]

You may reply to me in German, Dutch or English, whichever is easiest.

My Great Grandfathers First Name would be spelled with a "z" at the end

and not a "t"

Thanks