Awarded to Belgian civilians who served in the ranks of the Belgian armed forces during the World War and under the same conditions as for the Victory Medal. This bronze, somewhat triangular medal was instituted on 21 July 1919 and came with a number of possible ribbon devices : a crown for volunteers, a silver bar per front stripe, a gilt bar replacing 5 silver ones, a red enamel cross for each wound stripe, black bars for POW's etc. Front stripes were awarded for frontline duty, the first stripe for one year's service, subsequent stripes for each additional 6 months. Navy personnel and fishermen could resp. affix crossed anchors or a single anchor to the ribbon (the latter only if they had also received a Maritime Decoration). Members of the Expeditionary Corps to Russia received a bar "1916-R-1917" (modified later into "1916-R-1918"). Awarded to the defenders of the town and fortresses of Liège in 1914. This bronze medal was first awarded in April 1920 at a ceremony where the Crown Prince, Leopold (the later King Leopold III) and General Leman (the town's commander in August 1914, when Liège had to be defended against the German invader) were present. Although the medal is not an official one, wearing it by military personnel on active duty was tolerated. Inhabitants of Liège who had received the Political Prisoner's Medal and had been convicted by a German court in Liège were also entitled to this medal.