Belgian Medal for Prisoners 1940-1945

The Prisoner of War Memorial Medal 1940-1945 (French: Médaille du Prisonnier de Guerre 1940-1945) is an official Belgian award established on October 20, 1947. This medal was intended for all members of the Belgian Armed Forces who were taken prisoner by the Axis powers during the Second World War.

Characteristics of the medal

• Design: A round bronze medal (diameter 38 mm) topped with a royal crown.
• Obverse: Centrally positioned is a downward-pointing broadsword placed over a Greek cross. The years "1940" and "1945" are inscribed on the horizontal arms of the cross. The whole is surrounded by a circle of barbed wire.
• Reverse: Features an image of a watchtower in a concentration camp, again surrounded by barbed wire.
• The ribbon: Silk moiré ribbon with narrow vertical stripes in the colors red, blue, and white on the sides. Important distinction

This medal is exclusively for military personnel. Civilians or resistance members who were imprisoned usually received the Political Prisoner Cross 1940-1945, which is recognizable by the red enamel triangle with a black "B" on the ribbon.