1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross
Belgian war medal / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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.
1830 Volunteers' Commemorative Cross | |
---|---|
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 |
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]