Kingdom of the Netherlands Airman’s Cross in silver, marked “SILVER” on the reverse, an original example produced in England during the Second World War for award to Dutch military aircrew operating from British soil under the Dutch government in exile. The Airman’s Cross is the fifth-highest Dutch military decoration still being awarded for bravery, this British-made decoration displaying the recognised device in clear relief: a silver cross with four arms, with a crowned central medallion bearing an albatross in flight, the words “INITIATIEF MOED VOLHARDING” (Dutch: “Initiative Courage Perseverance”) around the edge of the medallion, and the date 1941 appearing above the body of the albatross, the reverse being plain but for the manufacturer’s confirmation mark “SILVER” struck into the metal, this style of reverse marking being specifically associated with crosses produced by British jewellers and medallists such as Spink and Son for issue to Dutch personnel serving with British and Allied forces during the German occupation of the Netherlands. The cross is suspended from a ribbon of diagonal orange and white stripes, inspired by the ribbons of the British Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Force Cross, the diagonal striping pattern reflecting the close operational relationship between the Dutch and British air forces throughout the war.
The Airman’s Cross was created in 1941 by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and awarded to members of the Dutch military who displayed initiative, courage, and perseverance against the enemy or during hostile actions during one or more flights and also to allied pilots whose actions were of high importance to the Netherlands. The decoration was instituted by Queen Wilhelmina from the Dutch government in exile in London following the German invasion and occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, at a time when the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force, and individual Dutch airmen who had escaped occupied territory continued to fight alongside the Royal Air Force and other Allied air forces from British and colonial bases. With the Dutch homeland under German occupation, decorations for Dutch servicemen could not be manufactured within the Netherlands itself, and the production of the Airman’s Cross was accordingly undertaken by British medallists, with examples produced during the 1943–1944 period of occupation being struck in England and marked “SILVER” on the reverse to confirm the metal content in the absence of Dutch national hallmarking authority. An original example of this English-made wartime pattern, produced by Spink, is held in the collection illustrating the type. Notable recipients of the Airman’s Cross across its history include Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, known as the “Soldier of Orange”, and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, both prominent figures of the Dutch wartime resistance and exile community. A total of 735 Airman’s Crosses have been awarded across the decoration’s entire history from 1941 to the present day, making it a consistently scarce award across all periods of issue, with wartime English-made examples representing a particularly significant subgroup within that small total.
Manufactured in silver and marked “SILVER” on the reverse, consistent with British wartime production of Dutch military decorations for the government in exile, this original example provides a well-preserved representation of the Airman’s Cross as issued during the German occupation period of 1940 to 1945. Dutch Airman’s Crosses marked “SILVER” are collected as examples of exceptionally scarce Second World War Dutch military gallantry decorations, English-manufactured awards of the Dutch government in exile, and militaria associated with the close wartime cooperation between the Dutch and British air forces.
Condition Excellent
