Order of the Belgian Red Cross

The Decoration of the Belgian Red Cross of the Belgian Red Cross was a Belgian decoration.

During the First World War, Belgian volunteers also helped at and behind the front as doctors, nurses, or stretcher-bearers. The Belgian Red Cross had earlier established a “Cross of International Volunteers of the Red Cross.” Everything official in those days was designated in French. The Decoration of the Belgian Red Cross was added in 1880.

The red-enamelled cross, with curved arms, is suspended from an arched crown and was worn on the left breast on a ribbon two fingers wide.

The First Class was a gilt-silver cross with a gilt-silver arched crown and was worn on a ribbon with a broad red central stripe.

The Second Class was a silver cross with a gilt-silver arched crown and was worn on a ribbon with a broad red central stripe.

According to the regulations, the Second Class was worn on a ribbon with two narrow red central stripes. In everyday practice, both decorations were worn on the First Class ribbon. In the central red oval medallion, a red-enamelled Cross of Geneva on a white shield is placed on the breast of a gold or silver lion.