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Medal of the Order of the Crown.
Medaille du Ordre de la Couronne.
The medal which is attached to the order is primarily awarded for
long service at retirement. The medals can be awarded to certain
private sector employees as well as the public sector; such as
prison supervisors, ushers, burgomasters, police commissioners,
rural guards (rural police officers) echevins (citizens
who sit with judges) secretary to the Octroi (local tax
collectors) etc., etc. The recipient would have served 25 years
minimum at the time of transferring to pension.
To receive the gold medal the recipient would have reached a minimum age
of 60 and served 45 years, 30 of which would be with the same
employer, or 40 years with the same employer irrespective of age.
The medal could also be awarded without the rigid
'time in service' criteria to Administrators, Directors, Department
heads, Artisans, Architects, Chemists, Specialist Craftsmen etc.,
etc. each case for an award assessed on an individual basis.
(Although I assume it would still always represent extensive service
in that individuals chosen career)
The bronze medal appears to have be confined mainly to the Caucasian
workers of the Belgian Congo / Free State for 11 years service, apart from a
period - duration unknown - when it was also used in Belgium to
reward the fireman and rural guards for 40 years service.
Description: 31mm diameter in gold, silver and bronze
versions, the suspension is in the form of a royal crown with two
pendelia and a ribbon ring - this is attached to a small fixed
ornate ring attachment on the disk. Obverse: a finely ribbed central
area with bead surround, with the royal crown superimposed. The
surrounding circlet carries the motto of the Belgian Congo; TRAVAIL
ET PROGRES (work and progress) - the later issues are bilingual
including the Dutch ARBEID EN VOORUITGANG in the lower half of the
circlet. Reverse: a stylised 'double L' crowned Leopold II monogram
within a palm wreath.
| Ribbon; red-brown with white inset edge stripes. (same
ribbon as the 6th class, palms of the order) |
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Also see:
Order of the Crown and Palms of the Oder of the Crown |
