Belgium Belgian Long Service Awards

[Jacky]

Little, incomplete, group with most medals, however his "IJser"-Cross and other commemorative medals have been sold separately....

I grabbed this opportunity before he would sell them off....

Still some nice examples, but yet not a complete group.

Saw a picture of this man, with a chest almost like a christmas-three....

Asked for a price to his picture and his officers of Leopold II and order of the crown...

He wanted way too much for them... asked for a copy of it, denied.... Officers and picture have been sold

From left to right;

Knight Order of the Crown with swords

Knight Leopold II with Palm

Croix d'Guerre "WW1" with 1 bronze lion and 1 bronze palm

Croix d'Guerre "WW1" with bronze palm

Militairy decoration for bravery with palm

Special decoration for ??? * Hendrik can tell more about this one... If he pleases to do so.... *

Decoration for Labor 1st Class

Commemorative medal for the centenary of Belgium.

Edited June 11, 2006 by Jacky

[ErikMuller]

From left to right;

Knight Order of the Crown with swords

Knight Leopold II with Palm

Croix d'Guerre "WW1" with 1 bronze lion and 1 bronze palm

Croix d'Guerre "WW1" with bronze palm

Militairy decoration for bravery with palm

Special decoration for ??? * Hendrik can tell more about this one... If he pleases to do so.... *

Decoration for Labor 1st Class

Commemorative medal for the centenary of Belgium.

Nice group! The Article 4 Military Decoration should be placed in front of the Belgian War Cross however, since its a higher decoration than the War Cross.

A shame the seller wouldn't let you have a scan or copy of the photograph. You might give him your mail-address and ask him to give it to the person who bought it.

I tried that once and the other buyer sent me a scan of the rest of the medals I missed. Unfortunately I still haven't percuaded him to sell them to me

[Hendrik]

Special decoration for ???

Sorry Jacky, can't read the legend around the central medallion ... there's a few of those special decorations for long service and they are only distinguishable through the obverse legend : Health Assistance, Cooperative Societies, Trade Unions, Social Security.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Jacky]

Sorry Jacky, can't read the legend around the central medallion ... there's a few of those special decorations for long service and they are only distinguishable through the obverse legend : Health Assistance, Cooperative Societies, Trade Unions, Social Security.

Cheers,

Hendrik

The central disc only says; "* Moralit? * bijzondere ondersteuning"

What can you make out of it??

[Hendrik]

The central disc only says; "* Moralit? * bijzondere ondersteuning"

Jacky,

I fear that must be considered a fantasy one : that particular legend is not official at all. The closest official one would be "Mutualit? - Onderlinge Bijstand". Note that "Moralit?" is part of the legend found on the Industrial Decoration but does not signify "Onderlinge Bijstand" in Flemish at all and, as such, cannot even be called a bilingual legend !

Quirky phony one in that group of yours !

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Jacky]

Jacky,

I fear that must be considered a fantasy one : that particular legend is not official at all. The closest official one would be "Mutualit? - Onderlinge Bijstand". Note that "Moralit?" is part of the legend found on the Industrial Decoration but does not signify "Onderlinge Bijstand" in Flemish at all and, as such, cannot even be called a bilingual legend !

Quirky phony one in that group of yours !

Cheers,

Hendrik

Oopsss... the heat golf didn't any good to my brains.

I wrote it down from my memory..... Yes it is mutualite onderlinge bijstand....

Should stop using my memory during hot days

Could you tell something more special about this award??

Cheers

Edited June 12, 2006 by Jacky

[Hendrik]

Could you tell something more special about this award??

Jacky,

Despite the name, there's not really anything special about these medals : they are mere long service awards.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Jacky]

Despite the name, there's not really anything special about these medals : they are mere long service awards.

Thanks Hendrik,

I was wondering what this medal was.

Just a long service like the other labor-decorations.

Could you explain after how many years one get the Labor decoration 2nd class?

then 1st class

Outstanding Decoration 2nd Class?

Outstanding Decoration 1st Class?

Or were those used for people already having been awarded the gold medal or palms??

Thanks in advance..

[Hendrik]

Could you explain after how many years one get the Labor decoration 2nd class?

Jacky,

2nd class = 25 years, 1st class = 30 years for the Industrial Decoration. The Special Decorations of the various organisations are awarded under the same conditions. Medals and/or Palms of chivalry orders for long service would mean longer service than the above 30 years are involved but I don't know the exact criteria for those.

I wouldn't be surprised if in the meantime the number of years required has been lowered ... after all, these original criteria date from the 19th century !

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Jef]

Thanks Hendrik,

I was wondering what this medal was.

Just a long service like the other labor-decorations.

Could you explain after how many years one get the Labor decoration 2nd class?

then 1st class

Outstanding Decoration 2nd Class?

Outstanding Decoration 1st Class?

Or were those used for people already having been awarded the gold medal or palms??

Thanks in advance..

Hello Jacky,

Hendrik's answer was quite right. I only would like to add: for long service of 35 years, you receive a golden medal of the Order of the Crown. For long service of 45 years you get the golden palms of the Order of the Crown. But there was an exeption: an example, someone had a long service state of 41 years. Because he was retired, he also got the golden palms of the Order of the Crown. Another strange example: two friends of mine, both a long service state of 40 years. One person got the golden medal of the Order of the Crown, the other got the golden palms in the Order. Why? The person who got the golden palm was retired, the one who got the golden medal was still working with us.

I know this because recently, I got a golden medal myself and investigated what and why......

Best regards,

Jef

[Jacky]

So when he finally is going to retire, he might get the gold palms at last??

or even a knights cross if he works long enough?

[Jef]

So when he finally is going to retire, he might get the gold palms at last??

or even a knights cross if he works long enough?

Hello again,Jacky,

I was told, for industrial long service the golden palm is the highest reward you can get. Hendrik is this OK? But for administration long service ( or military long service, of course) you might get a knight's cross or higher award, I guess it all depends...

Jef

[Hendrik]

for long service of 35 years, you receive a golden medal of the Order of the Crown. For long service of 45 years you get the golden palms of the Order of the Crown. But there was an exeption: an example, someone had a long service state of 41 years. Because he was retired, he also got the golden palms of the Order of the Crown. Another strange example: two friends of mine, both a long service state of 40 years. One person got the golden medal of the Order of the Crown, the other got the golden palms in the Order. Why? The person who got the golden palm was retired, the one who got the golden medal was still working

Hello Jef,

Many thanks for that ! Very helpful information

And it confirms that the Crown Order's Gold Palms would be the highest attainable for long service in industry.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Hendrik]

Having noticed some interest on this subject in other posts, I've transferred these to this topic and am listing the military long service awards currently in use below :

ARMY

Soldiers and Corporals :

10 years = Military Decoration 2nd class

15 years = Military Decoration 1st class

20 years = Order of Leopold II, silver medal

25 years = Order of Leopold II, gold medal

30 years = Crown Order, silver palms

35 years = Crown Order, gold palms

40 years = Order of Leopold II, Knight class

NCO's :

10 years = Military Decoration 2nd class

15 years = Military Decoration 1st class

20 years = Order of Leopold II, gold medal

25 years = Crown Order, gold palms

30 years = Order of Leopold II, Knight class

35 years = Crown Order, Knight class

40 years = Order of Leopold, Knight class

Officers :

15 years = Crown Order, Knight class

20 years = Order of Leopold, Knight class

25 years = Military Cross 2nd class (if commissioned from NCO rank), Crown Order Officer class (min. rank Captain), Military Cross 1st class (when having started career as 2nd Lt.)

28 years = Order of Leopold, Officer class (min. rank Major)

NAVY AND AIR FORCE

Soldiers and Corporals :

Same as for Army

NCO's :

9 years = Order of Leopold II, gold medal (provided 4 years served in operational sea or air duties)

10 years = Military Decoration 2nd class

12 years = Crown Order, gold palms (provided 5 years served in operational sea or air duties)

13 years = Order of Leopold II, Knight class (provided 6 years served in operational sea or air duties)

15 years = Military Decoration 1st class

25 years = Crown Order, Knight class (provided 10 years served in operational sea or air duties)

40 years = Order of Leopold, Knight class

Officers :

13 years = Order of Leopold, Knight class (provided 6 years served in operational sea or air duties)

15 years = Crown Order, Knight class

20 years = Order of Leopold, Knight class

22 years = Order of Leopold, Officer class (provided 10 years served in operational sea or air duties)

25 years = Military Cross 2nd class (if commissioned from NCO rank), Crown Order Officer class (min. rank Captain), Military Cross 1st class (when having started career as 2nd Lt.)

28 years = Order of Leopold, Officer class (min. rank Major)

High ranking officers with more years in the service can obtain Commander classes or higher grades of the orders but I'm still unclear about the criteria for those. Information is - of course - very welcome !!!

Cheers,

Hendrik

Edited June 15, 2006 by Hendrik

[Jacky]

Hendrik,

thanks for giving this his own thread..

The story got too long for the previous thread!!

To stay in the story for this thread,

more long service awards,

now for labour...

Quite bad scans,

but i found those also in the box for the other decorations.

as one can't continue wearing the lower grade when awarded the higher grade,

I omitted them from the scan.

But still made a scan of it

*left to right*

Special decoration 2nd class

labour decoration 2nd class

Edited June 18, 2006 by Jacky

[Jacky]

Now the civil decortions.

left to right

Gold medal

Silver medal

Bronze medal for courage, devotion and philantrophy

Cross 1st class.