Set of an original Belgian Victory Medal 1914–1918 (“Overwinningsmedaille”) (Inter-Allied Victory Medal / “War for Civilization” Medal) + Oorkonde belonging to Soldier Francois of the 2e Regiment de Grenadiers which fought during the Siege of Antwerp, Battle of Ypres, Passendaele etc.

The Belgian Victory Medal 1914–1918, also known as the Inter-Allied Medal 1914–1918 or, after the reverse inscription, the “War for Civilization” Medal, is Belgium’s official Inter-Allied decoration awarded following the Allied victory in the First World War.

Established on 15 July 1919 by King Albert I of the Belgians, this prestigious medal was granted to all members of the mobilized Belgian Army who served between 1 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Approximately 300,000 to 350,000 veterans received this decoration.

Subsequent decrees extended eligibility to participants in the African campaigns against German colonial forces, as well as civilians who contributed to the war effort, including members of the merchant navy and fishermen.

The medal was worn after the Yser Medal or the Yser Cross in the official order of precedence. In civilian dress, a small ribbon rosette in the medal’s colors was worn in the buttonhole. For formal evening wear, a miniature version of the medal was suspended from a small ribbon or chain. On military uniforms, recipients wore the ribbon bar (baton).

A highly desirable addition for collectors of World War I decorations, Belgian military history, or Inter-Allied commemorative medals.

Original Order of Leopold II (Rank of Knight) (Order van Leopold II (Ridder)) + Oorkonde voor Sergent Henri Delvenne (authorised 15 november 1951 n. 279 for nomination on 21 july 1942).

The Order of Leopold II is a Belgian civil order of chivalry, originally established in 1900 by King Leopold II in the Congo Free State, then his personal possession. The order’s motto, “L’Union fait la force” / “Eendracht maakt macht” (“Unity makes strength”), reflects the Belgian national ideal.

Initially awarded for services rendered to Congo and to the sovereign, the order was incorporated into the Belgian honors system after Congo became a Belgian colony in 1908. Following Congo’s independence, the Order of Leopold II remained part of the Belgian national system of honors. Today, it is one of Belgium’s three national orders, alongside the Order of the Crown and the Order of Leopold.

The Order of Leopold II is awarded to civilians and military personnel for distinguished service to the King and as a mark of his personal esteem.

Version Offered: Knight (Ridder)

• Pre-1952 without “Eendracht maakt Macht”

• Includes Crossed Swords!

The Knight wears the insignia on a 37 mm wide ribbon on the left breast.

Distinctive characteristics of the Knight class:

• Cross in silvered metal (not gilded)

• Crown suspension in silver

• Blue ribbon with a central black stripe

• Worn as a breast decoration

A refined and historically significant decoration, ideal for collectors of Belgian orders and colonial-era honors.

Condition: Please, see the damage to the enamel in the middle!

Exceptional and rarely encountered original grouping belonging to a soldier of the Panzer-Lehr-Regiment (later associated with Panzerjäger-Abteilung 16, as indicated by the shoulder boards visible in one of the portraits).

This lot includes:

• 7 original period photographs (including uniform portraits)

• 2 original Feldpost letters

• 1 aluminum (Alu) remembrance/memorial card

Such complete personal groupings from Panzer-Lehr personnel are scarce on the market, making this a highly desirable set for advanced collectors of German WWII militaria.

Condition: All items are in original, untouched condition as shown in the photos.

Offered on consignment.

Original Saint Helena Medal (Médaille de Sainte-Hélène). This medal does have a wrong (unidentified) ribbon on it!

The Saint Helena Medal (Médaille de Sainte-Hélène) is a historic French commemorative decoration established by decree on 12 August 1857 by Emperor Napoleon III. It was awarded to all surviving veterans who had served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars between 1792 and 1815.

The medal fulfilled a final wish expressed by Napoleon I in his will, written during his exile on Saint Helena in 1821. Funding for the medal came from his personal fortune, ensuring recognition for his former soldiers — the legendary “grognards”, known for their loyalty and enduring bond with the Emperor.

Historical Significance

This decoration represents one of the earliest large-scale veteran recognition medals in Europe:

• Awarded to approximately 405,000 veterans

• Around 185,000 medals were officially distributed and recorded

• Open to soldiers of many nationalities who served under Napoleon, including French, Belgian, Dutch, German, Polish, and Italian veterans

• Approximately 14,000 Belgian veterans received permission to wear the medal

Some of the last surviving recipients lived well into the late 19th century, making this medal a powerful symbol bridging the Napoleonic era and modern Europe.

Design & Characteristics

Designed by Désiré-Albert Barre, the medal is notable for its robust and distinctive appearance:

• Material: Thick bronze (nicknamed the “chocolate medal” due to its color)

• Obverse: Portrait of Napoleon I, surrounded by a laurel wreath

• Reverse inscription:
  “Campagnes de 1792 à 1815. À ses compagnons de gloire, sa dernière pensée, 5 mai 1821”
  (“Campaigns of 1792 to 1815. To his companions in glory, his last thought, 5 May 1821”)

• Suspension: Surmounted by the French Imperial crown

The medal was presented in a box bearing a Napoleonic eagle and accompanied by a named diploma.

Ribbon

The decoration is worn on a green ribbon with narrow red stripes, a color scheme later echoed in the French Croix de Guerre 1914–1918.

A highly collectible and historically significant medal, prized by collectors of Napoleonic militaria and early veteran honors.

Original Volunteer Combatant’s Medal 1914–1918 (Medaille van de Vrijwillige Strijder). The Volunteer Combatant’s Medal 1914–1918 is a Belgian wartime service decoration established by Royal Decree on 17 June 1930. It was awarded to Belgian citizens and foreign nationals who voluntarily enlisted in the Belgian Armed Forces during the First World War.

This medal honors those who chose to serve of their own free will, often under extremely dangerous front-line conditions.

Award Criteria

The medal was granted to individuals who:

• Voluntarily enlisted and served in a combat unit in a danger zone for at least 6 months

Eligibility was later extended to include:

• Volunteers over 40 years old with at least 3 months of front-line service

• Volunteers over 50 years old with at least 1 month of front-line service

• Medical personnel with at least 2 years of service in non-occupied Belgium

• Young volunteers who fled occupied territory to enlist

• Wounded personnel

• Posthumous awards

Design & Characteristics

• Material: Bronze

• Shape: Circular medal (36 mm) with a distinctive crescent-shaped upper section, giving a total height of approx. 50 mm

Obverse:

• Foreground: head of a WWI Belgian soldier wearing a helmet, facing left

• Background: head of an 1830 Belgian revolutionary volunteer, symbolizing continuity of national struggle

• Upper crescent: Belgian crown above laurel branches

Reverse:

• Latin inscription along the edge:
  “VOLUNTARIIS PATRIA MEMOR”
  (“The homeland remembers its volunteers”)

• Center: the dates 1914–1918

Ribbon

• Color: Royal blue moiré silk

• Simple and elegant, emphasizing the honor of voluntary service

Condition: As seen in the images.

A historically rich and symbolic Belgian decoration, highly desirable for collectors of First World War and volunteer service medals.

Original Belgian War Cross 1914–1918 (Oorlogskruis). The Belgian War Cross 1914–1918 (Oorlogskruis) is one of Belgium’s most prestigious First World War decorations. It was instituted by Royal Decree on 25 October 1915, inspired by the French Croix de Guerre established earlier that same year.

Awarded exclusively to individual members of the Belgian Army, Navy, and Air Force — and in exceptional cases to foreign Allied servicemen — the War Cross recognized acts of bravery in the face of the enemy.

Beyond gallantry, the decoration was also granted for:

• Three years of front-line service (five front stripes)

• Volunteers over 40 or under 16 years of age with at least 18 months of service

• Escaped prisoners of war who rejoined their unit within three months

• Soldiers unable to resume combat due to wounds sustained in action

The War Cross could be awarded posthumously. In such cases, the ribbon bears a black enamel bar. Non-commissioned officers and enlisted men who died from wounds received in combat were additionally appointed Knights of the Order of Leopold II with palm and also received the War Cross.

Citation Devices (Ribbon Distinctions)

Recipients mentioned in official dispatches could wear the following devices on the ribbon:

• Bronze Lion – Mention in Regimental Orders

• Silver Lion – Mention in Brigade Orders

• Gold Lion – Mention in Divisional Orders

• Bronze Palm – Mention in Army Orders

• Five bronze palms replaced by one silver palm

• Five silver palms replaced by one gold palm

These devices significantly enhance both the historical and collector value of the decoration.

Original Belgian Fire Cross (Vuurkruis / Croix du Feu). The Fire Cross (Vuurkruis / Croix du Feu) is a distinguished Belgian military decoration awarded to holders of the so-called Fire Card, issued to servicemen who spent at least 32 months at the front during the First World War.

The medal was officially instituted by Royal Decree on 6 February 1934. Notably, this decoration could not be awarded posthumously, underscoring its recognition of surviving front-line veterans who endured prolonged combat service.

The decoration features a striking rectangular form with rich symbolic relief details:

• Obverse:
  At the center is a relief depiction of an abandoned battlefield. In the foreground appear a Belgian World War I helmet, a bayonet, and a howitzer. In the upper right corner, the sun breaks through the clouds — symbolizing hope and victory emerging from the devastation of war.

• Reverse:
  A large laurel branch stretches diagonally from the lower left to the upper right, intersected by the Latin inscription:
  “SALUS PATRIAE SUPREMA LEX” (“The salvation of the nation is our highest law.”)

  In the upper left corner, a royal crown radiates seven beams downward. In the lower right corner, the years “1914” and “1918” are inscribed one above the other. Beneath the stem of the laurel branch appears the name of the medal’s designer: “A. Rombaut.”

An exceptional and meaningful piece for collectors of Belgian militaria and World War I veteran decorations, representing endurance, sacrifice, and unwavering service at the front.