History

The Commemorative War Medal (1940-1945) was awarded to Belgian military personnel, members of the Belgian Resistance, members of the Force Publique, and Allied and Belgian Merchant Navy personnel for service during the Second World War between May 10, 1940 and May 7, 1945. It was later extended to foreign recipients of the War Cross (1940-1945).

Several clasps were awarded with the medal to recognise specific roles or services that were rendered during the war. Crossed sabres were awarded for combat service or service in the armed resistance, a lion was awarded for mention in dispatches, crossed anchors were awarded for naval service, a gold star was awarded to colonial troops, crossed lightning bolts were awarded for intelligence service, a bronze crown was awarded to volunteers, a bronze bar was awarded to prisoners of war for each 12 months of imprisonment, and a red cross was awarded for each wound incurred in combat.

Campaign clasps could also be awarded in recognition of participation in specific campaigns. The following campaign clasps are bars:
- "ARDENNES"
- "ARDENNES BELGES" (The Belgian Ardennes)
- "ATLANTIQUE NORD" (North Atlantic)
- "BATAILLE D’ANGLETERRE" (Battle of Britain)
- "BATAILLE DE BELGIQUE 1940" (Battle of Belgium 1940)
- "BEAUQUESNE"
- "BELGIQUE" (Belgium)
- "CAMPAGNE D’ALLEMAGNE" (Germany Campaign)
- "CAMPAGNE DE HOLLANDE" (Holland Campaign)
- "CANAL ALBERT" (Albert Canal)
- "CANAL ALBERT-KANNE" (Albert-Kanne Canal)
- "CANAL DE TERNEUZEN" (Terneuzen Canal)
- "CANAL DE WESSEM" (Wessem Canal)
- "DIEPPE"
- "EMDEN"
- "ESCAUT" (The Scheldt River)
- "FLANDRES 1940" (Flanders 1940)
- "FRONTIERE" (Border)
- "ITALIE" (Italy)
- "KNESSELARE"
- "LA DENDRE 1940" (The Dendre River)
- "LA GETTE" (The Gete River)
- "LA LYS 1940" (The Lys River 1940)
- "LIEGE 1940"
- "MANCHE" (The English Channel)
- "NAMUR 1940"
- "NEVELE"
- "NORMANDIE" (Normandy)
- "OLDENBURG"
- "RONSELE"
- "VINKT"
- "WALCHEREN"
- "WINTERBEEK"
- "YUGOSLAVIE" (Yugoslavia)
- "ZELZATE"
- "ZWIJNDRECHT"

The following campaign clasps are elliptical:
- "ALLEMAGNE 1944-1945" (Germany 1944-1945)
- "FRANCE 1944"
- "PAYS-BAYS 1944-1945" (Netherlands 1944-1945)
- "TCHECOSLOVAQUIE 1945" (Czechoslovakia)
- "ARDENNES 1944-1945"

The reverse inscription translates to “Commemorative Medal for the War 1940-1945” and appears in French and Dutch.