A well documented Belgian Great War group of ten attributed to Senior Captain Jean Laoureux, Belgian Army

Belgium, Kingdom, Order of Leopold, Military Division, Chevalier’s breast badge, with crossed swords, silver and enamel, French motto, reverse central medallion detached but present; Order of the Crown, Officer’s breast badge, gilt and enamel, with rosette on riband, in Wolfers, Brussels case of issue; Order of the Crown, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gilt and enamel, enamel damage to central medallions; Military Cross, Second Class, silver and enamel; Croix de Guerre, A.I.R., bronze, with Belgian lion bronze emblem on riband signifying Mention in Despatches at Divisional level; Military Decoration, Second Class, for Long Service, gilt; War Commemorative Medal 1914-18, bronze; Allied Victory Medal 1914-18, Laslo official type 1, bronze; Centenary Medal 1830-1930, silvered; Congo Commemorative Medal 1879-1908, gilt, generally very fine and better except where stated (10) £260-£300

Jean Laoureux was probably born in 1880 and joined the Belgian Army in the Carabiniers-Cyclists Regiment soon after his sixteenth birthday. His service took him to the Belgian Congo in the last days of the 19th century and his good conduct qualified him for the Military Decoration 2nd Class in 1912. Soon into the Great War, Sergeant-Major Laoureux was one of those selected for promotion on 8 January 1915 to auxiliary infantry officer. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry in July 1915 and Lieutenant in September 1916. For his bravery he was awarded the Croix de Guerre with gilt lion emblem for divisional citation on 14 February 1917. The citation mentions that it was an award ‘For bravery and fearlessly taking command of an outpost during an enemy attack on the night of 30/31 January 1917’. He was also awarded 8 front-line chevrons. With the end of the war he was promoted to Junior Captain in March 1919 and was awarded the Order of the Crown, Chevalier and Order of Leopold Chevalier in November 1924. In 1929 he was awarded the Congo Commemorative Medal and gained promotion in the Order of the Crown to ‘Officer’ and was awarded the Military Cross 2nd Class. He gained his final award in 1930 with the 100th anniversary of Belgium’s independence.

Sold together with a number of original documents, comprising adult high school certificate, Verviers, 1900; nomination list of N.C.O’s. promoted to officers, December 1914 to January 1915; 6th Division award certificate for the Military Decoration, 2nd Class for long service to Sergeant-Major of the 1st Carabiniers; letter from GOC 2nd Cavalry Division nominating Laoureux as an auxiliary officer, 8 January 1915; letter for the Ministry of Defence doing the same; warrant of appointment to 2nd Lieutenant, 8 July 1915; warrant of appointment to Lieutenant of Infantry, 1 September 1916; warrant of appointment to Junior Captain, 4 April 1919; letter placing Laoureux on medically inactive list for service related illness, 30 December 1924; letter of re-appointment to active service to the 12th Infantry Regiment, 1926; award document for the Military Cross, 2nd Class, for 25 years service, 27 November 1929; award document for the Victory Medal, as Commander of the Cavalry Division Depot; warrant of appointment to Senior Captain-Commandant in the Reserve; award document for the Croix de Guerre with gilt lion, for an act of bravery; award document for the Order of the Crown, Chevalier, 8 April 1923; award document for the Order of Leopold, 27 November 1924; award document for the Order of the Crown, Officer, 27 November 1929; award document for the Congo Commemorative Medal, 28 June 1929; award document for the Centenary Medal 1930; together with a copied photograph of the recipient.