Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance
Encyclopedia
The Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance was created at 18 June 1822 and is after the Military William Order the oldest decoration for bravery in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
. Furthermore, the Honorary Medal is the highest civilian decoration still being awarded for bravery, and is specifically for those who carried out a voluntary act of bravery or self-sacrifice, with an emphasis on charity.
The medal can be awarded in gold, silver or bronze. Awarding is on basis by nomination of the Netherlands government and by royal decree. The golden medal has precedence only after the Dutch Cross of Resistance
(also a civilian bravery decoration, but not awarded anymore), and the silver and bronze medals have precedence after the Airman's Cross
(a military bravery award).
didn't find the act important enough to award the lieutenant with the important Military William Order, instead a new type of bravery award was created: the Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance.
The first medal was roundish and showed the portrait of King William I. At the reverse side a laurel wreath was portrayed and some space was reserved for an inscription. It was not meant to wear the medal. The size of the medal was related to the value of the metal used: a diameter of 50, 41 or 35 millimeter for subsequently a bronze, silver or golden medal.
In 1825 King William I decided that noble and charitable acts of Dutchmans are awarded by charitable organisations and the acts of foreigners and soldiers by the king himself.
In 1837 King William II
decided by royal decree that the size of the golden, silver and bronze medals would be all 50 millimeter. Also his portrait was put on the medals.
Since 1849 the portrait of King William III
was shown on the medals and from 1875 a portrait of the older and bold King William III.
When Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont
became the queen regent of the Netherlands she decided to put on the medal the portrait of her minor daughter Queen Wilhelmina
. In 1897 a new type of medal was created, the medal did get a ribbon to wear and also did get the same shape as the French "Medal of Saint Helena".
Since 1912 the medal has its current shape. The medal is ovally shaped with at the top a stylised royal crown. On the medal a mother with three children is portrayed. The motif is take from the city hall in Bolsward
. At the reverse side the words "De koningin aan" (The Queen Rewards to) and also some space is reserved for an inscription. The medal is worn with an orange ribbon that has a red band in the middle. The medallion is today still award as gold, silver or bronze.
By decree in 15 April 1952 it was decided that the golden honorary medal has precedence just below the Dutch Cross of Resistance
; herewith the golden Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance is one the highest awards in the Netherlands. The silver and bronze honorary medals has lower precedence after the Airman's Cross
.
Before or since World War II
it was common to award the medal to sailors. During World War II
the medal was primarily award by the Dutch government in exile
to those British sailors who rescued Dutch victims from drowning by a shipwreck.
After the war the medal was significantly less awarded. In 1982 a soldier of the Royal Netherlands Air Force
received the bronze medal, and in 2005 two silver medals were awarded to rescuers of the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution.
The medal was last awarded to five members of the Search and Rescue squadron 7 of the Royal Netherlands Navy
, this because they saved the life of the captain and coxswain of an Iran
ian container ship
. Silver medals were awarded on 29 May 2008 by the then Dutch Minister of Defence
Eimert van Middelkoop
.
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
. Furthermore, the Honorary Medal is the highest civilian decoration still being awarded for bravery, and is specifically for those who carried out a voluntary act of bravery or self-sacrifice, with an emphasis on charity.
The medal can be awarded in gold, silver or bronze. Awarding is on basis by nomination of the Netherlands government and by royal decree. The golden medal has precedence only after the Dutch Cross of Resistance
Dutch Cross of Resistance
The Verzetskruis 1940–1945 is one of the highest possible decorations that exist within the Kingdom of the Netherlands....
(also a civilian bravery decoration, but not awarded anymore), and the silver and bronze medals have precedence after the Airman's Cross
Airman's Cross
The Airman's Cross is an important military decoration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands created in 1941. The cross is meant for those Dutch military, who displayed during one of more flights in an aircraft, initiative, courage and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions...
(a military bravery award).
History of the medal
Lieutenant Alexander de Langle was the first person to by awarded with this medal by saving in 1821 a sergeant who was stuck at the bottom of a well. Although he showed an act of bravery, King William IWilliam I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
didn't find the act important enough to award the lieutenant with the important Military William Order, instead a new type of bravery award was created: the Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance.
The first medal was roundish and showed the portrait of King William I. At the reverse side a laurel wreath was portrayed and some space was reserved for an inscription. It was not meant to wear the medal. The size of the medal was related to the value of the metal used: a diameter of 50, 41 or 35 millimeter for subsequently a bronze, silver or golden medal.
In 1825 King William I decided that noble and charitable acts of Dutchmans are awarded by charitable organisations and the acts of foreigners and soldiers by the king himself.
In 1837 King William II
William II of the Netherlands
William II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :...
decided by royal decree that the size of the golden, silver and bronze medals would be all 50 millimeter. Also his portrait was put on the medals.
Since 1849 the portrait of King William III
William III of the Netherlands
William III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
was shown on the medals and from 1875 a portrait of the older and bold King William III.
When Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont
Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont
Princess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont was Queen consort of William III, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg...
became the queen regent of the Netherlands she decided to put on the medal the portrait of her minor daughter Queen Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
. In 1897 a new type of medal was created, the medal did get a ribbon to wear and also did get the same shape as the French "Medal of Saint Helena".
Since 1912 the medal has its current shape. The medal is ovally shaped with at the top a stylised royal crown. On the medal a mother with three children is portrayed. The motif is take from the city hall in Bolsward
Bolsward
Bolsward is a city in Súdwest Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. Bolsward is just short of a population of 10,000.- History :The town is founded on three artificial dwelling hills, of which the first was built some time before Christ....
. At the reverse side the words "De koningin aan" (The Queen Rewards to) and also some space is reserved for an inscription. The medal is worn with an orange ribbon that has a red band in the middle. The medallion is today still award as gold, silver or bronze.
By decree in 15 April 1952 it was decided that the golden honorary medal has precedence just below the Dutch Cross of Resistance
Dutch Cross of Resistance
The Verzetskruis 1940–1945 is one of the highest possible decorations that exist within the Kingdom of the Netherlands....
; herewith the golden Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance is one the highest awards in the Netherlands. The silver and bronze honorary medals has lower precedence after the Airman's Cross
Airman's Cross
The Airman's Cross is an important military decoration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands created in 1941. The cross is meant for those Dutch military, who displayed during one of more flights in an aircraft, initiative, courage and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions...
.
Before or since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was common to award the medal to sailors. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the medal was primarily award by the Dutch government in exile
Dutch government in exile
The Dutch government in exile was the government of the Netherlands, headed by Queen Wilhelmina, that evacuated to London after the German invasion of the country at the outset of World War II....
to those British sailors who rescued Dutch victims from drowning by a shipwreck.
After the war the medal was significantly less awarded. In 1982 a soldier of the Royal Netherlands Air Force
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
received the bronze medal, and in 2005 two silver medals were awarded to rescuers of the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution.
The medal was last awarded to five members of the Search and Rescue squadron 7 of the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, this because they saved the life of the captain and coxswain of an Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
. Silver medals were awarded on 29 May 2008 by the then Dutch Minister of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
Eimert van Middelkoop
Eimert van Middelkoop
Eimert van Middelkoop is a Dutch politician of the ChristianUnion party.From 2007 till 2010 he was Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Balkenende IV...
.
External links
- The Honorary Medal for Charitable Assistance - Official site of the Chancellery of the Netherlands Orders (English)