Circular with a 2mm-raised rim, depicting a figure with a bare torso looking right

  with arms stretched downward holding a sword in his right hand, standing in front

  of a large ‘V’ with seven glory rays behind. The bottom 8mm of the medal is plain

    apart from the sword protruding downward and the name of the engraver ‘J.

    DEMART’ on the left and  ‘FECIT DEGREEF’  on the right both in 1mm high

    letters.  All of the above is in relief.

A 2mm raised rim with the lion of Belgium in the centre facing left and the

  circumscription ‘.VOLUNTARIIS.’ in relief above the lion, in 3.8mm letters.

The ribbon is threaded through a 15mm diameter ring, which passes through a loop

  fixed to the top of the medal.  The ring will move forwards and backwards but not

  sideways.

37mm wide, the 2 outer vertical bands are 2.7mm blue/black with 15 alternate

  vertical bands of deep red (2.2mm) and blue/black (2mm)

3 made of bronze and silver 40mm long and 4mm high, with the following naming

  in relief :-

   ‘1914 – 1918’ - Awarded to personnel who qualified for this medal as a

retroactive award to those entitled to the ‘Medaille du

Volontaire Combattant 1914-1918’ but who had not received

it before the application date for it expired on 3 July 1951.

   ‘1940 – 1945’ - Awarded to personnel who qualified for this medal as a

retroactive award to those entitled to the ‘Medaille du

Volontaire 1940-1945’ but who had not received it before the

application date for it expired on 3 July 1951.

   ‘COREE-KOREA’ - Awarded to personnel volunteered for the Belgium

  forces for the Korean War before 31 March 1953, and

  contributed to the execution of any measures

  determined by the Security Council of the United

  Nations. 

This medal was created by the Royal Decree of 7 April 1952 (M.B. of 27 April

  1952), to be awarded to Belgium citizens and foreigners who volunteered for the

  Belgium forces for the duration of the Korean War.  The Royal Decree of 16 Nov

    1953 (M.B. of 22 November 1953) determined the ribbon and issues of clasps in

    bronze and the Royal Decree of 2 December 1953 (M.B. 13 December 1953)

  announced the above dated or named clasps in silver.  This medal replaced the

  Medaille du Volontaire Combattant 1914-1918 and the Medaille du Volontaire

  1940-1945 on 3 July 1951.

Awarded to Belgium citizens and foreigners who volunteered for the Belgium

  forces for the Korean War before 31 March 1953 and who contributed to the

  execution of any measures determined by the Security Council of the United

  Nations.  The certificate of the  `Medaille du Volontaire de Guerre 1952’  is issued

  by the Ministry of National Defence to all individuals qualified and also states

  which clasps are awarded.  The medal was also issued posthumously.  Personnel

   who already held the  `Medaille du Volontaire de Guerre 1946' and also qualified

  for this medal were aloud to wear both.

The medals were manufactured at different Belgium mints, i.e. Fibru, De Greef, etc,

  using different dies hence the following variations:-

Type 1: obverse - The figure with a bare torso looking right is approximately 50%

   larger. The large ‘V’ is smaller recessed with eight glory rays also

   recessed between the arms of the ‘V’ and the sword in the figures

  right hand is thinner. The wording on this variant is ‘J.DEMART’

  below the figures left hand on the plain portion with the letter ‘B’

  just above, both are engraved in 1.25mm high letters.

  reverse - As the normal medal, except the lettering and lion are larger and

  less well defined.  The top of the second ‘O’ in ‘VOLONTARIIS’

   has been ground away to read ‘VOLUNTARIIS’ in 3.8mm high

   letters.

Type 2: obverse - As the type 1 variant except the figure is slightly larger and is not

  so well defined.  The sword is at a different angle and the bottom

  plain portion is only 6mm deep.  There is no letter ‘B’ engraved

   above ‘J.DEMART’.

   reverse - Reads ‘VOLUNTARIIS’ in 3.3mm high letters with the lettering

   and lion better defined.

Type 3: obverse - The figure with a bare torso looking right is slightly smaller than

  the type 1 variant but better defined. The large ‘V’ is recessed,

  with eight glory rays between the arms of the ‘V’ in relief.  The

   only wording is ‘JDD’ in 1.5mm letters in relief, just below the

  figures left hand and above the plain portion.

   reverse - As type 1 but the circumscription reads ‘.VOLONTARIIS.’ in

  3.3mm high letters

Type 4: obverse - The torso is slightly smaller than the type 1 variant, with no letter

   ‘B’ engraved on the medal.

  reverse - As the type 1 variant, with the circumscription ‘1940 – 1945’

Clasps:   A - Dimensions of the numerals or letters differ.

   B - The background of the clasp either smooth or rough.

  C - The sheen of the metal may differ.

  D - Clasps may be slide on type, or pin type fixation to the ribbon.