Last modified: 2008-03-29 by ivan sache
Keywords: military colour | military standard | croix de guerre | standard bearer |
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For all the flags described below, a gold fringe 5 cm wide is
attached.
The staff is black, in two pieces with a brass joint, and topped by a
15 cm (7.5 cm on fanions) gilt bronze finial consisting of an ionic
column surrounded by an oak and laurel wreath supporting a
rectangular platform.
On the longer sides of the platform, the national motto and unit
designation are inscribed in French (L'Union fait la force) on
one side and in Dutch (Eendracht maakt Macht) on the
other.
On the ends are the initials of the monarch presenting the color.
Atop the platform is a rampant lion of Brabant.
Unit decorations are attached below the finial, as is a 1.5 m (for
drapeaux) gold cord and tassels, tied around the staff at the middle,
with the ends of the cord tied in a knot halfway down their length.
Sources:
Joe McMillan, 2 February 2002
![[1st of Line, reverse]](../images/b/be^1lrev.gif)
![[1st of Line, obverse]](../images/b/be^1lobv.gif)
Colour of the First Regiment of the Line, obverse and reverse - Image by Joe McMillan, 2 February 2002
Infantry units (for instance, Régiment de Chasseurs Ardennais) have a drapeau / vlag, a square
vertical tricolor of black, yellow, and red within a 15 mm wide gold
border, the whole being 90 cm square. The names of actions for which
the unit was cited in the orders of the
Belgian Army are embroidered in gold in
French on the obverse and in Dutch on the reverse, in straight lines.
Cavalry and artillery regiments carry an étendard /
vaandel. The same pattern as above, but 80 cm square.
Cyclist and Engineers units have a fanion / wimpel,
again the same pattern, but 70 cm square.
Joe McMillan, 2 February 2002
![[Navy standard]](../images/b/be^navy.gif)
Standard of the Navy - Image by Joe McMillan, 2 February 2002
According to L. Nyssen (Einige Flaggen der belgischen Marine
von 1815 bis heute [nys96], Flaggenkurier [dfk] (1995), also available online),
the standard (étendard / vaandel), of the Navy
was granted by Prince Regent Charles on 15 June 1946. It is the
national tricolor in 77 x 88 cm dimensions, with the name of the
service (Force Navale) and the places and dates of actions in
which Belgian seamen distinguished themselves during the Second World
War inscribed in French in straight lines of gold block letters. The
medal of the Croix de Guerre (1939-1945) with palm appears in the
upper hoist. The field is bordered by a narrow gold strip all around;
in addition, there is gold fringe along the three free sides of the
flag.
Nyssen does not say so, but normal Belgian practice would be for
the flag to carry the same information on the reverse in Dutch, the
name in Dutch at the time the flag was granted being Zeemacht.
It is not clear to me whether the actual Croix de Guerre medal is
pinned to the flag or if its design is embroidered onto the field.
Nyssen shows it set diagonally and I have followed that example.
Navy units have a drapeau / vlag, as for the infantry, with the exception that the top inscription is MARINE BELGE on the obverse and BELGISCHE MARINE on the reverse (formerly FORCE NAVALE and ZEEMACHT).
Joe McMillan, 4 December 2003
According to the Army Museum (Brussels) fact sheets (text by Dominique Henrard), the flag was
officially handed over by the Regent on 13 September 1946. Recipient was
Commodore G. TImmermans, Head of the Navy.
The standard, made of silk, is used during parades on land and kept
at Zeebrugge Naval Base.
The words written on the flag are:
ZEEMACHT
SLAG VAN BELGIE 1940
ATLANTISCHE OCEAAN
NOORDZEEKANAAL
SCHELDE
That is Navy - Battle for Belgium 1940 - Atlantic Ocean - Strait of
Dover - Scheldt.
The fourragères are in the colours of the Order
of Leopold and the War Cross, plus a
French War Cross with Palms.
The Navy standard was restored by Maison Bertrand (Brussels) in 1967:
the black stripe, the fringe, and the inscriptions were replaced.
Jan Mertens, 5 January 2007
Air Force units carry a flag known as a fanion / wimpel, but 80 cm square like an army étendard / vaandel. Otherwise the same design.
Joe McMillan, 2 February 2002
The Honour Diploma of Standard Bearer is prescribed by a Royal Decree signed on 18 January 2001 and published in the Belgian official gazette on 9 March 2001.
Article 1. The Honour Diploma of Standard Bearer is created to award the standard bearers with good behaviour who have served, voluntarily and with dignity, for three years as the standard bearer in patriotic unions grouping either disabled ex-servicemen, ex-servicement or war victims, or ex-soldiers, or both categories or their eligible parties.Article 2. The Honour Diploma is confered by the Minister concerned with the disabled ex-servicemen, the ex-servicemen and the war victims, on the proposal of the local patriotic union.
The proposals, together with a certificate of good behaviour approved by the state authorities, shall be forwarded to the department by the way of the national federations.
The Honour Diploma and the form to request it are prescribed according to the template attached to the present Decree.Article 3. The names of the holders of the Honour Diploma shall be published in the Belgian official gazette.
Article 4. The following Decrees are abrogated:
1. The Royal Decree of 10 October 1963 creating an Honour Diploma of Standard Bearer of Patriotic Associations;
2. The Royal Decree of 4 March 1965 creating an Honour Diploma of Standard Bearer of certain Patriotic Associations;
3. The Royal Decree of 18 December 1987 creating an Honour Diploma of Standard Bearer of the national Federations grouping the disabled civil victims of the two wars, the widows and the eligible parties.Article 5. The Minister concerned with the disabled ex-servicemen, the ex-servicement and the war victims is charged of the enforcement of the present Decree.
Ivan Sache, 1 March 2007