Belgian 'Cross of Fire' Medal (Vuurkruis 1914–1918)

[chrislaidler507]

I am trying to find a list of the men who received the Belgian 'Cross of Fire' Medal (Croix du Feu or Vuurkruis 1914–1918). It was instituted in Feb 1934 by a royal decree and it couldn't be awarded posthumously. The wiki page that details it does have a reference to it from the 'ARS Moriendi' web site but that is a dead link.

A search of the Belgian archives site only lists the Vuurkruis 1914–1918 within a research guide (in Dutch) but nothing as to where the list itself can be found. A similar search for the 'fire card' (vuurkaart) by which the holder was able to apply for the medal didn't bring up any results either.

If anybody can point me in the right direction, I would be grateful.

Regards,

Chris

[nhclark]

Chris,

Here is the website I think you are looking for. Very hard (for me at least) to read because of the colours used.

But here you can search by family name: http://www.tenboome.webruimtehosting.net/guldenboek/index/naam.pdf and then the books themselves: http://www.tenboome.webruimtehosting.net/guldenboek/Guldenboekprojecttotaal/guldenboekonline.htm and here is the list of symbols and abbreviations: http://www.tenboome.webruimtehosting.net/guldenboek/Guldenboekprojecttotaal/figuren/legende.pdf

There are two other searches available, by place of residence and by regiment.

Make sure you bookmark them all for future reference!

Noel

Edited 25 November , 2022 by nhclark

[chrislaidler507]

17 minutes ago, nhclark said:

Chris,

Here is the website I think you are looking for. Very hard (for me at least) to read because of the colours used.

But here you can search by family name: http://www.tenboome.webruimtehosting.net/guldenboek/index/naam.pdf and then the books themselves: http://www.tenboome.webruimtehosting.net/guldenboek/Guldenboekprojecttotaal/guldenboekonline.htm and here is the list of symbols and abbreviations: http://www.tenboome.webruimtehosting.net/guldenboek/Guldenboekprojecttotaal/figuren/legende.pdf

There are two other searches available, by place of residence and by regiment.

Make sure you bookmark them all for future reference!

Noel

Noel,

Thank you very much, that goes beyond what I was expecting anybody to find, not just in terms of the man I am interested in but of the others named within too. Think that while a great deal of interest and research goes towards those who served in the British forces from WWI there is a lot of info that gets ignored of those that served with Belgian or French forces but their stories shouldn't be forgotten either.

Regards,

Chris

[nhclark]

51 minutes ago, chrislaidler507 said:

Noel,

Thank you very much, that goes beyond what I was expecting anybody to find, not just in terms of the man I am interested in but of the others named within too. Think that while a great deal of interest and research goes towards those who served in the British forces from WWI there is a lot of info that gets ignored of those that served with Belgian or French forces but their stories shouldn't be forgotten either.

Regards,

Chris

Chris,

Oh, indeed yes. It's the same with certain theatres of war. Try looking for information on people who served in British East Africa!

I got interested in Belgian and French records a few years ago. Having been burned later on by some on-line sources suddenly disappearing, it would be best to download these documents such as these Belgian "Firebook" records, even if you ultimately put them on a CD or USB. I think it needs someone younger than me, though, to keep it for the future! The "Internet Archive" would be a good place too, but I'm not sure of the copyright rules.

Trust you can indeed "find your man." There's an explanation on the website of how the book was compiled, so of course the list is not complete.

Noel

[chrislaidler507]

Hi Noel,

Had some success, but as ever another question arises.

My interest in Guillaume started when I found his British Army record within a search for those from Goole who served during WWI (one of some 5400+ men and women we are researching). Guillaume, as stated in both records was born in Antwerp in 1897 but by 1901 his family were living in Goole, with his father working on the docks. Jump forward a bit in time I was able to contact Guillaume's extended family and they were able to provide me with his Belgian army record. Have attached a transcript of the contents from both.

Found Guillaume's name in the Goldenbook of the Fire Card for the 1937 edition, where the name family is spelt as Van Eyghen. Unfortunately the entry isn't accompanied by a photograph but is nice to know that his name is in there. No idea as to the error of spelling his name incorrectly but if the Belgian army clerks were anything like some of those that worked for the War Office anything is possible.

Chris

VAN EGGHEN Guillaume Louis Alphonse.pdf

[nhclark]

CHris,

Maybe a French-speaking clerk writing down a Flemish name perhaps?

I found the family in 1911 living with Isabella Ann Rhodes at 21(?) Second Avenue, Goole. By then his father had died, as mother Bertha is described as a Widow. From other records on FindMyPast I'd say Guillaume's father was Gislenus van Egghen, a seaman, who died at sea on/from the "Frisia" in 1910 and whose death is registered in the Gravesend Registration District in the Jul-Sep quarter.

Anyway, good to be of some small assistance in your search.

Noel

[chrislaidler507]

Yes, that's his father - was told that he died as a result of an explosion aboard ship but didn't have any further details.

It proved very helpful, thank you.

Chris