1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross
1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross | |
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1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross (obverse) | |
Type | War medal |
Awarded for | Voluntary military service during the Belgian Revolution |
Presented by | Kingdom of Belgium |
Eligibility | Belgian citizens |
Status | No longer awarded |
Established | 20 April 1878 |
In 1833, following the end of the Belgian Revolution, the young kingdom of Belgium created the Iron Cross to recognise wounds received and bravery in battle. The award first class was bestowed to the wounded who elected to stay at their post and keep fighting, to the maimed and mutilated, as well as for acts of courage,[1] the award second class was bestowed to all wounded combatants.[2] In 1835, due to the discontent of most recipients, the award 2nd class was terminated and all received the first class.[3] Over the years, recipients of the Iron Cross received ever increasing pensions,[4][5] up to ten years of seniority when employed as civil servants[6] and pensions for the widows and orphans of the deceased.[7] The other combatants of 1830-1831 received no pension, and no commemorative medal was struck.
These forgotten veterans' discontent grew over the years to the point of forming the "Federation of Volunteer Combatants of 1830" which openly and actively lobbied for recognition of their combat actions. It was not until over forty years later, in 1878, that King Leopold II signed the decree creating the 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross.[8]
Award statute
The 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross (French: Croix Commémorative des Volontaires de 1830, Dutch: Herinneringskruis voor de Vrijwilligers van 1830) was a Belgian campaign medal established by royal decree on 20 April 1878 and awarded to all members of the Belgian Army and popular militias who served during the 1830-1831 Belgian Revolution who had not been awarded the Iron Cross.[8]
Award description
The 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross was a white enamelled Maltese Cross with a gilt Burgundy Cross between its arms and a black enamelled central medallion, two arms converged upwards from between the tips of the upper cross arm to a pivot mounted royal crown. The black enamelled central medallion bore on the obverse the Belgian lion, an heraldic "lion rampant", the reverse bore the year "1830".[8]
The cross was suspended by a ring through a lateral hole in the royal crown's orb from a silk moiré ribbon in the national colours of Belgium. The ribbon was black with narrow 2mm red edge stripes bordered by 2mm yellow stripes on the inside.[8]
Obverse | Reverse |
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Notable recipients (partial list)
- Major General Nicolas François Edouard Brialmont[9]
- Cavalry Lieutenant General Narcisse Auguste Ablaÿ de Perceval[9]
See also
References
- ^ "Law of 8 October 1833 creating the Iron Cross". Belgian Government. 1833-10-08.
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(help) - ^ "Royal decree of 22 August 1834 creating the Iron Cross 2nd class". Belgian Government. 1834-08-22.
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(help) - ^ "Royal decree of 21 February 1835 amalgamating the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class". Belgian Government. 1835-02-21.
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(help) - ^ "Budgetary Law of 1842 creating a pension for recipients of the Iron Cross". Belgian Government. 1842.
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(help) - ^ "Budgetary Law of 1855 increasing the pension for recipients of the Iron Cross". Belgian Government. 1855.
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(help) - ^ "Law of 27 May 1857 on Civil Service by recipients of the Iron Cross". Belgian Government. 1857-05-27.
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(help) - ^ "Budgetary Law of 1858 for widows and orphans of deceased recipients of the Iron Cross". Belgian Government. 1858.
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(help) - ^ a b c d "Royal Decree of 20 April 1878 creating the 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross". Belgian Government. 1878-04-20.
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(help) - ^ a b "Royal Decree of 23 September 1878 awarding the 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross". Belgian Government. 1878-09-23.
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Other sources
- Quinot H., 1950, Recueil illustré des décorations belges et congolaises, 4e Edition. (Hasselt)
- Cornet R., 1982, Recueil des dispositions légales et réglementaires régissant les ordres nationaux belges. 2e Ed. N.pl., (Brussels)
- Borné A.C., 1985, Distinctions honorifiques de la Belgique, 1830-1985 (Brussels)
External links
- Les Ordres Nationaux Belges (In French)
- Bibliothèque royale de Belgique (In French)
- ARS MORIENDI Notables from Belgian history Archived 2011-09-06 at the Wayback Machine (In French and Dutch)
- v
- t
- e
- Order of Leopold
- Order of the African Star
- Royal Order of the Lion
- Order of the Crown
- Order of Leopold II
- Civic Guard Merit Medal
- 1830 Star of Honour
- Iron Cross
- 1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross
- 1870–71 Commemorative Medal
- Service Star
- War Cross 1914–18
- Fire Cross 1914–1918
- Yser Cross and Medal
- Volunteer Combatant's Medal 1914–1918
- Commemorative Medal of the 1914–1918 War
- Commemorative Medal of the 1914–1917 African Campaigns
- Liège Medal
- Maritime Decoration 1914–1918
- Political Prisoner's Medal 1914–1918
- Deportees' Cross 1914–1918
- 1914–1918 Medal for National Restoration
- King Albert Medal
- Queen Elisabeth Medal
- Inter-Allied Victory Medal 1914–1918
- Civic Decoration 1914–1918
- Commemorative Medal of the National Committee for Aid and Food
& Korean War
- War Cross 1940–45
- Maritime Medal 1940–1945
- 1940–1945 Military Combatant's Medal
- Volunteer's Medal 1940–1945
- 1940–1945 African War Medal
- 1940–1945 Colonial War Effort Medal
- Abyssinian Campaigns Commemorative Medal
- Resistance Medal 1940–1945
- Civilian Resistance Medal
- Civilian Disobedience Medal
- Political Prisoner's Cross 1940–1945
- Prisoner of War Medal 1940–1945
- Escapees' Cross 1940–1945
- Medal for Resistance against Nazism in the Annexed Territories
- Medal of the Recruiting Centers 1940
- Medal of Belgian Gratitude 1940–1945
- Commemorative Medal of the 1940–1945 War
- Foreign Operational Theatres Commemorative Medal
military awards
- Military Decoration for exceptional service, bravery or exceptional devotion
- Military Cross
- Military Decoration for faithful service
- Cross of Honour for Military Service Abroad
- Commemorative Medal for Armed Humanitarian Operations
- Commemorative Medal for Foreign Operations or Missions
- Commemorative medal for missions or operations regarding the operational defense of the territory
- Meritorious Service Medal
civilian awards
medals
- Commemorative Decoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Creation of the Railroads
- Commemorative Medal of the Reign of King Leopold II
- Commemorative Medal for the 75th Anniversary of the Belgian Postal Service
- Centenary of National Independence Commemorative Medal
- Commemorative Medal for the Centenary of the Telegraphic Service
- Commemorative Medal for the 100th Anniversary of the Belgian Postal Service
- Commemorative Medal of the Reign of King Albert I
- Commemorative Medal for the "European March of Memory and Friendship"
- "Four Days of the Yser" Commemorative Medal
- Order of the Belgian Red Cross
- Blood Donour's Medal
- 1940–1945 Cross of Honour of the Belgian Red Cross
- 1940–1945 Belgian Red Cross Decoration