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Circular bronze medal with laterally-pierced ball suspension; the face with a crowned escutcheon bearing the Belgian lion rampant on a hatched ground for the heraldic colour sable (black), circumscribed ‘‘L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE’ (Strength through unity); the reverse with the monogram of King Albert I above the dates ‘1870-71’; on original ribbon.
The Medal was instituted on 20 September 1911 and awarded to military mobilised during the period 15 July 1870 to 5 March 1871 in consequence of the Franco-Prussian War.
Despite the later events of two World Wars, it was primarily against French, rather than German, ambitions in Belgium that it mobilised its army in 1870. The war came as close to Belgium as Sedan, site of crucial German victory on 2 September 1870, a mere 6 miles (10 km) from Belgian border.
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