This medal, the “Médaille du Combattant Militaire de la Guerre 1940–1945″ was awarded to all members of the Belgian armed forces and resistance who fought from England during WW2.
Archive for the Medals Category
1940–1945 Military Combatant’s Medal
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Belgium, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeCommemorative Medal of the War 1940–1945 with Crossed Sabers and Ronsele Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Belgium, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis is the “Médaille Commémorative de la Guerre 1940–45″. The crossed sabres denoting combat service in the 1940 campaign or service in the armed resistance. There is an excellent collection belonging to Bill Simpson here.
The Resistance Medal 1940-1945
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Belgium, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis is the “Médaille de la Résistance 1940–1945“. It was awarded to all members of the active resistance as well as intelligence operators in occupied areas.
1940–1945 African War Medal
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Belgium, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was awarded primarily to officers and men who served during the period 1940-1945 in Belgium’s colonies in the Congo and Rwanda. It was awarded for other service areas like Burma, the Middle East and Madagascar and bars were provided for this service.
The War Commemorative Cross with Oost-Azië/Zuid-Pacific 1942-1945 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The Dude
This medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Oost-Azië/Zuid-Pacific 1942-1945 bar.
The Resistance Star, East Asia, 1942-45
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis is a pretty cool looking medal and a pretty rare one. It is the East Asia Star, awarded for those involved in the resistance against the Japanese occupation in the Dutch East Indies from 1942 to 1945.
The War Commemorative Cross with Oorlogsdienst Visserij 1940-1945 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Oorlogsdienst Visserij 1940-1945 bar.
The War Commemorative Cross with Krijg Te Land 1940-1945 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Krijg Te Land 1940-1945 bar. Note the unusual mounting of this medal compared to my other examples below.
The Air Defence Service Medal
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis is a pretty little medal, created by the Dutch version of the ARP or RLB to reward good service in air raid protection between 1940 and 1945. One of my favourites, the image on the front is of a woman shielding children from overhead aircraft.
Municipality of Seraing Medal of Recognition 1940-45
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Belgium, Unofficial, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeSeraing is a Walloon community in Belgium. In 1945 the worthies of the town decided to have this medal struck and passed out to whoever they felt grateful too, mostly war veterans from what my googling tells me.
The Mobilization War Cross
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis is the Dutch Mobilization War Cross. It was awarded to all those who served during the mobilization of 1939-1940 but were not entitled to the War Commemorative Cross.
New Guinea Commemorative Cross
Posted in 1945 + Medals with tags Netherlands on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was awarded by the Netherlands to those military personnell who served in the conflict of New Guinea in the period 1961-1962. The medal was awarded to military personel serving for at least three months in this confrontation with Indonesia. On the ribbon a clasp can be worn with the year 1962 on it. It indicates that bearer has been involved in actual combat in 1962.
The War Commemorative Cross
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is without a bar.
The War Commemorative Cross with Krijg Te Land 1940-1945 Bar & Normandië 1944 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Krijg Te Land 1940-1945 bar & Normandië 1944 bar. It also has the ribbon bar with two stars indicating two bars awarded.
The War Commemorative Cross with Krijg Ter Zee 1940-1945 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Krijg Ter Zee 1940-1945 bar.
The War Commemorative Cross with Nederland Mei 1940 Bar Number 2
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Nederland Mei 1940 bar.
The War Commemorative Cross with Oorlogsdienst Visserij 1940-1945 Bar, Middelandse Zee 1940-1945 Bar & Oost-Azië/Zuid-Pacific 1942-1945 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Oorlogsdienst Visserij 1940-1945 bar, Middelandse Zee 1940-1945 bar & Oost-Azië/Zuid-Pacific 1942-1945 bar.
The War Commemorative Cross with Arnhem-Nijmegen-Walcheren 1944 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Arnhem-Nijmegen-Walcheren 1944 bar.
The War Commemorative Cross with Nederland Mei 1940 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Nederland Mei 1940 bar.
The War Commemorative Cross with Nederlandsch Indië 1941-1942 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Holland, Netherlands, WW2 on April 24, 2013 by The DudeThis medal was issued with a number of bars. This one is with the Nederlandsch Indië 1941-1942 bar.
KRIJG TER ZEE 1940-1945 (War at Sea)
OORLOGSVLUCHTEN 1940-1945 (War Flights)
OORLOGSDIENST KOOPVAARDIJ / 1940-1945 (War Service, Merchant Navy)
OORLOGSDIENST VISSERIJ / 1940-1945 (War Service, Fishery)
KRIJG TE LAND 1940-1945 (War on Land)
The special actions bars are :
NEDERLAND MEI 1940
NEDERLANDSCH INDIË / 1941-1942 (Dutch East-India, now Indonesia), also found as NEDERLANDS-INDIË / 1941-1942
JAVAZEE 1941-1942
NOORD AFRIKA – ITALIË 1941-1942, changed on 6 January 1948 to MIDDELANDSE ZEE / 1940-1945
ARNHEM – NIJMEGEN / WALCHEREN 1944
NORMANDIË 1944
OOST-AZIË – ZUID-PACIFIC / 1942-1945
A Single to a Birchall Who Habitually Lost His Medals
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 24, 2013 by The Dude
This single British War Medal belongs to Thomas Birchall. It is impressed to 11114 T.Birchall N. Staffs. Ex-Private Birchall seemed to be in the habit of losing his medals since his Victory Medal was reported lost in 1922. The police subsequently found and handed in his lost medal which was returned to him.
A Birchall Single from the ASC
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 23, 2013 by The DudeThis British War Medal belonged to John H. Birchall. It is impressed to DM2-208049 Pte J.H.Birchall A.S.C. John Henry Birchall was a sanitary worker in civilian life and enlisted on the 5th of June 1915. He served in the Motor Corps.
A Birchall Casualty sent to Gallipoli and Retired Unfit in WW1
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Gallipoli, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 23, 2013 by The DudeThis single is a 1914-1915 Star belonging to William Birchall. It is impressed to 20177 Pte. W. Birchall Essex R. William deployed to the Balkans on the 19th of September 1915. He was discharged on the 30th of March 1917 under category 16, “No longer fit for war service”, in this case because of wounds. William was also entitled to the Silver Wound Badge 152379.
Update: I found his Victory Medal in the UK, 4 years later!
A Birchall Officer Single, Promoted From the Ranks
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 23, 2013 by The DudeThis is an orphan medal for 2nd Lieutenant George Birchall. This medal single is impressed for 21176 2 Lieut. G Birchall H.Light.Inf. He enlisted as a Private soldier in the Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was transferred to the Highland Light Infantry as a Corporal and then promoted from the ranks to Temporary 2nd Lieutenant and then confirmed as 2nd Lieutenant.
He was removed from the suspense list and then placed on the retired list on the 20th of October 1921. In the meantime he had reenlisted in the Royal Scottish Rifles as a Private on the 1st of December 1919. His new Regt. Number was 3122424. Why would someone reenlist in the army having survived WW1?
A Birchall Sapper in World War One
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 23, 2013 by The DudeThis group is for Sapper Thomas Birchall of the Royal Engineers. The medals are impressed to 125581 Spr T.Birchall R.E. Thomas was from Wigan and was a shoe and boot repairer before the war.
