The Medal for Services Rendered (french: Médaille pour Services Rendus, nl, Medaille voor Bewezen Diensten) is a
Belgian military service
medal
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
that was proposed to be created on 18 April 1988 by
ministerial decree
A ministerial decree or ministerial order is a decree by a ministry. With a ministerial decree the administrative department is delegated the task to impose a formal judgement or mandate. Ministerial decrees are usually imposed under the authority ...
. It was intended to be awarded to members of the army, navy, air force and medical services of the
Belgian Armed Forces
The Belgian Defense Forces ( nl, Defensie; french: La Défense) is the national military of Belgium. The King of the Belgians is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Armed Forces was established after Belgium became indepen ...
for service rendered in particularly difficult circumstances over an extended time period.
However, the creation of the medal was presented to the
Council of State under the form of a
ministerial decree
A ministerial decree or ministerial order is a decree by a ministry. With a ministerial decree the administrative department is delegated the task to impose a formal judgement or mandate. Ministerial decrees are usually imposed under the authority ...
and the Council ruled that the creation of such an award should be done by the King, thus via a
Royal Decree. As a Royal Decree was never adopted, the medal was never officially created and has not or cannot be awarded.
Award description
The Medal for Services Rendered is a 36mm in diameter circular bronze medal. Its
obverse bears a relief vertical
broadsword
The basket-hilted sword is a sword type of the early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.
In mod ...
pointing up superimposed over the base of a laurel wreath. Inscribed in relief along the medal circumference, the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
inscription "PATRIAM PROTEGO ET SERVIO" roughly translating into "I PROTECT AND SERVE MY COUNTRY". The reverse of the medal is smooth and plain.
The medal hangs by a ring through a suspension loop from a 37 mm wide yellow silk
moiré ribbon with five longitudinal black stripes. The black stripes are positioned as follows, one in the center, one on each edge, the last two are 4 mm from the edges. The width of the stripes varies according to ribbon type. The type 1 ribbon has 2 mm edge stripes, 1 mm inner stripes and a 3 mm central stripe, the type 2 ribbon has five equal 1 mm stripes.
See also
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium Belgium has established numerous orders of knighthood, decorations and medals since its creation in 1830. Below is a list of the main awards.
Orders
Order of Leopold
Order of the Crown
Order of Leopold II
Order of the African Star
Royal Or ...
References
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)
* Borné A.C., 1985, ''Distinctions honorifiques de la Belgique, 1830-1985'' (Brussels)
External links
Bibliothèque royale de Belgique(In French)
(In French)
{{Belgium honours
Orders, decorations, and medals of Belgium
Military awards and decorations of Belgium
Military of Belgium