Military Cross (Belgium)



The Military Cross (Militaire Kruis, Croix Militaire) is a military long service decoration of Belgium. It was established by Royal Decree on 11 February 1885 and is awarded to commissioned officers in the Belgian Armed Forces for loyal and uninterrupted service. Approximately 300 Military Crosses are awarded annually.

Award statute
The Military Cross is awarded in two classes to commissioned officers of the Belgian armed forces on the basis of their length of service:
 * Military Cross First Class: Awarded after 25 years of meritorious service as a commissioned officer;
 * Military Cross Second Class: Awarded to a commissioned officer after 25 years of meritorious service in the Belgian military.

Officers of the military reserve can also be awarded this decoration, on the condition that they participated in the yearly training period every year.

Award description
The Military Cross is a black enamelled Maltese cross with a 1mm gilt edge, the cross arms end in eight 2mm in diameter gilt spheres. Gilt crossed swords pointing up are positioned between the arms of the cross. The obverse central medallion bears the Belgian "lion rampant", pre 1952, the reverse medallion bore the royal cypher of the reigning monarch, post 1952, the reverse is identical to the obverse.

Suspension is by means of a ribbon through a suspension ring passing through the orb of a pivot mounted crown. The green silk moiré ribbon has two 5 mm wide red stripes set 1 mm from the ribbon's edges. The Military Cross First Class differs only from the second class award in the form of a rosette on the ribbon in the same colours as the ribbon.

Notable recipients (partial list)
The individuals listed below were awarded the Military Cross 1st class:
 * Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste Piron
 * Brigadier General Frank, Viscount De Winne
 * Lieutenant General Alphonse Ferdinand Tromme
 * Lieutenant General Baron Charles de Cumont
 * Lieutenant General Albert Baron Crahay
 * Cavalry Lieutenant General Marcel Jooris
 * Lieutenant General Roger Dewandre
 * Lieutenant General Ernest Engelen
 * Lieutenant General Sir Louis Teysen
 * Lieutenant General Constant Weyns
 * Police Lieutenant General August Van Wanzeele
 * Aviator Lieutenant General Armand Crekillie
 * Lieutenant General Roger Maes
 * Major General Maurice Jacmart
 * Divisional Admiral Léon Lurquin
 * Aviator Vice Admiral Sir André Schlim
 * Vice Admiral Jozef De Wilde
 * Cavalry Major General Jules François Gaston Everaert
 * Lieutenant General Jules Joseph Pire
 * Cavalry Lieutenant General Sir Maximilien de Neve de Roden
 * Cavalry Lieutenant General Baron Victor Van Strijdonck de Burkel
 * Lieutenant General Georges Deffontaine
 * Lieutenant General Alphonse Verstraete
 * Major General Baron Georges Danloy
 * Lieutenant General Baron Raoul de Hennin de Boussu-Walcourt
 * Lieutenant General Joseph Leroy
 * Cavalry Lieutenant General Jules De Boeck
 * Lieutenant General Fernand Vanderhaeghen
 * Lieutenant General Robert Oor
 * Lieutenant General Libert Elie Thomas
 * Lieutenant General Léon Bievez
 * Cavalry Major General Baron Beaudoin de Maere d’Aertrycke
 * Major General Lucien Van Hoof
 * Major General Jean Buysse
 * Aviator Major General Norbert Leboutte
 * Police Lieutenant General Louis Joseph Leroy
 * Major General Paul Jacques
 * Aviator Major General Norbert Leboutte
 * Police Lieutenant General Louis Joseph Leroy
 * Police Lieutenant General Oscar-Eugène Dethise
 * Lieutenant General Harry Jungbluth
 * Cavalry Lieutenant General Baron Albert du Roy de Blicquy
 * Lieutenant General Sir Antonin de Selliers de Moranville
 * Lieutenant General Félix Wielemans
 * Lieutenant General Baron Louis de Ryckel
 * Lieutenant General Baron Émile Dossin de Saint-Georges
 * Lieutenant General Count Gérard-Mathieu Leman
 * Lieutenant General Victor Bertrand
 * Lieutenant General Joseph Jacquet
 * Lieutenant General Baron Jules Jacques de Dixmude
 * Lieutenant General Albert Lantonnois van Rode
 * Lieutenant General Baron Armand de Ceuninck
 * Lieutenant General Aloïs Biebuyck
 * Cavalry Lieutenant General Baron Léon de Witte de Haelen
 * Cavalry Lieutenant General Vicount Victor Buffin de Chosal

The individuals listed below were awarded the Military Cross 2nd class:
 * Aviator Lieutenant Colonel Baron Willy Coppens
 * Lieutenant General Alphonse Ferdinand Tromme
 * Lieutenant General Alphonse Verstraete
 * Count Hubert Pierlot

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)
 * Belgian military regulation A83 on Military Decorations
 * Belgian military regulation DGHR-REG-DISPSYS-001 of 20 February 2006