Bronze Cross (Netherlands)

Last updated
Bronze Cross
Bronzen Kruis 1941.jpg
Type Military award
Awarded forActs of courage and leadership in the face of the enemy.
DescriptionThe medal is a bronze cross pattée. A wreath consisting of tendrils of oak and laurel leaves is tied around the royal cypher.
The orange ribbon has a Nassau blue stripe in the center. Orange is the colour of the Queen, the head of the House of Orange, and blue is the heraldic colour of the ancestral house of Nassau.
Presented by Flag of the Netherlands.svg Kingdom of the Netherlands
EligibilityMilitary Personnel, merchant navy and civilians in the resistance
Campaign(s) World War II and later campaigns
Clasps none; if the cross is awarded again a large Arabic golden figure "2" or "3" is attached to the ribbon.
StatusCurrently awarded
First awarded11 June 1940
Last awardedOn 7 October 2009 to 1st Lt Alex Spanhak for his actions in Afghanistan
Total3,501
Total awarded posthumouslyPosthumous awards are possible
Ribbon bar Bronze Cross.jpg
Ribbon bar of the Bronze Cross
Precedence
Next (higher) Resistance Star East Asia
Next (lower) Cross of Merit

The Bronze Cross of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: "Het Bronzen Kruis") was instituted on 11 June 1940 by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands while she was residing in London during the German occupation of the Netherlands. The Bronze Cross has precedence after the Resistance Star East Asia, but is the third highest military decoration still being awarded for bravery.

Several British, American, Canadian and Polish soldiers are among the 3,501 recipients of the Bronze Cross that is awarded by Royal Decree.

Related Research Articles

Wilhelmina of the Netherlands Queen of the Netherlands 1890–1948

Wilhelmina was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw the First and the Second World Wars, as well as the Dutch economic crisis of 1933.

Amstelveen Municipality in North Holland, Netherlands

Amstelveen is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 89,918 (2017). It is a suburban part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam.

The Order of the Crown is a national order of the Kingdom of Belgium. The Order is one of Belgium's highest honors.

Military Order of William

The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William, is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Order is named after St. William of Gellone (755–814), the first Prince of Orange. The Order's motto is Voor Moed, Beleid en Trouw. The chivalric order was established on 30 April 1815 by King William I and was presented for feats of excellent bravery on the battlefield and as a meritorious decoration to senior military officers. Comparable with the French Légion d’Honneur but far less often awarded, the Military William Order is a chivalry order of merit open to everyone regardless of rank and nobility, and not only to Dutch military but also foreigners. To date membership of the Order is extremely rarely awarded and only for excellent bravery in battle.

Order of Orange-Nassau Civil and military Dutch order of chivalry

The Order of Orange-Nassau is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina.

Order of the Netherlands Lion Dutch order of chivalry

The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands is a Dutch order of chivalry founded by King William I of the Netherlands on 29 September 1815.

Order of the House of Orange Dynastic order of the House of Orange-Nassau, the royal family of the Netherlands

The Order of the House of Orange, sometimes referred to as the House Order of Orange, is a dynastic order of the House of Orange-Nassau, the royal family of the Netherlands similar to the Royal Victorian Order in the United Kingdom. The order was instituted by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands on 19 March 1905 and is not subject to ministerial responsibility or influence, but is awarded at the discretion of the Dutch monarch alone.

Order of the Oak Crown

The Order of the Oak Crown is an order of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Bronze Lion Award

The Bronze Lion is a high Royal Dutch award, intended for servicemen who have shown extreme bravery and leadership in battle favouring The Netherlands; in some special cases it can however be awarded to Dutch or foreign civilians. It was first created in 1944 and has since been issued 1,210 times. Proposals for an award are reviewed by the Dutch Board for Bravery Awards, which is part of the ministry of Defence. If awarded they are enforced by a Royal Decree. The Bronze Lion has precedence after the Order of the House of Orange, but is the second highest military decoration still being awarded for bravery.

Daphny van den Brand

Daphny van den Brand, is a Dutch cyclo-cross, road bicycle and mountain bike racer.

Orders, decorations, and medals of the Netherlands

In the Dutch honours system, most orders are the responsibility of ministers of the Netherlands Government. The house orders, however, are awarded at the discretion of the Dutch monarch alone.

On 20 February 1941, the Dutch government in exile in London instituted several new awards for bravery. The new way that wars were fought, with civilian resistance and the merchant navy in great peril, made this necessary. Amongst the new decorations was the "Cross of Merit", an award for "working in the interest of the Netherlands while faced with enemy actions and distinguishing oneself through valor and resolute behavior". One did not have to be on the front line to win this award.

Netherlands at the Olympics Sporting event delegation

The Netherlands first sent athletes to the Olympic Games in 1900, and has participated in almost all Games since then with the exception of 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis. The Netherlands boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne as a protest against the Soviet invasion in Hungary just a few weeks before the beginning of the Games.

The Cross for Courage and Fidelity is a military award that was established by Queen Emma of the Netherlands by Royal Decree on 7 March 1898. The cross replaced the old Medal for Courage and Fidelity, which had limited prestige and status according to the Netherlands government. The cross is the second highest award of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, preceded only by the Military William Order. The cross was awarded to natives of the Netherlands East Indies that showed exceptional display of bravery and fidelity.

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 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 or more flights in an aircraft, initiative, courage and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions. The cross is also awarded to allied pilots, whose actions or performances in the air were of high importance for the Netherlands.

The Honorable Mention was an important Military awards and decorations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for those who distinguished themselves by acts of high bravery, but weren't eligible yet for the highest accolade of the Military William Order. The Honorable Mention was in fact not a medal but a mention in the proclamation of the Dutch army, to honor the soldier.

Netherlands at the Paralympics Sporting event delegation

The Netherlands participated in the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome, where it sent a delegation of five athletes. The country has participated in every subsequent edition of the Summer Paralympics. It made its Winter Paralympics début in 1984, and has taken part in every subsequent edition of the Games, except 2006. The Netherlands was the host country of the 1980 Summer Paralympics, in Arnhem.

Cross for the Four Day Marches Dutch decoration

The Cross for the Four Day Marches is a Dutch decoration awarded for successful participation in the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen held annually at Nijmegen, The Netherlands. The full title of the decoration is Kruis Voor Betoonde Marsvaardigheid. It is more commonly referred to as the Vierdaagse Cross or Vierdaagsekruis.

Dutch Cross of Resistance Dutch award

The Verzetskruis 1940–1945 is a decoration for valour in the Netherlands. Instituted on May 3, 1946, it was awarded in recognition of the individual courage shown in resistance against the enemies of the Netherlands and for the maintenance of liberties. It is one of the highest decorations in the Netherlands.