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Oorlogsherinneringskruis (OHK)

The Oorlogsherinneringskruis (War Commemorative Cross or War Cross) was instituted by Royal Decree Nr. 6 on March 16th 1944. The decoration was intended for military in Service of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Dutch People or Dutch subordinates that served on board of Dutch Merchant or Fishery ships in Dutch or Allied service and Dutch Citizens or Dutch subordinates that were part of the crew of an airplane from the Dutch civilian Air Services in Dutch or Allied service. To apply for the decoration one had to be serving for six months in service since May 10th 1940 and had to have shown good service and behaviour.

At first the same design was used as for the Ereteken voor Belangrijke Krijgsverrichtingen, but without the text "Voor Belangrijke Krijgsverrichtingen". For the ribbon, a total of nine bars were introduced, five for Common Service and four for Special Service.

Common Service:
- "KRIJG TER ZEE 1940-1944"
- "OORLOGSVLUCHTEN 1940-1944"
- "OORLOGSDIENST-KOOPVAARDIJ 1940-1944"
- "OORLOGSDIENST-VISSERIJ 1940-1944"
- "KRIJG TER LAND 1940-1944"

Special Service:
- "NEDERLAND MEI 1940"
- "NEDERLANDSCH-INDIË 1941-1942"
- "JAVA-ZEE 1941-1942"
- "NOORD-AFRIKA - ITALIË 1942-1944"

By Royal Decree on June 10th 1947, the design was revised and given her definitive shape. The basic design was kept the same, a bronze cross with four arms, measuring 40 mm. On the front in an oval is the portrait of the Dutch Queen Hr. Ms. Queen Wilhelmina, surrounded with a circle containing the text "VOOR KRIJGSVERRICHTINGEN". Around this one can find an oak leaved wrath. Every arm of the cross contains the letter "W".
The reverse is plain and contains an oval with the text "KON.-BEGEER / VOORSCHOTEN / F.S.INV.", the factory’s mark (F.S. stands for the designer Frans Smits).

With a Royal Decree on January 6th 1948, the entire decoration was revised. All the original bars were deleted and twelve new ones were created, five for Common and seven for Special Service.

Common Service:
- "KRIJG TER ZEE 1940-1945"
- "OORLOGSVLUCHTEN 1940-1945"
- "OORLOGSDIENST-KOOPVAARDIJ 1940-1945"
- "OORLOGSDIENST-VISSERIJ 1940-1945"
- "KRIJG TER LAND 1940-1945"

Special Service:
- "NEDERLAND MEI 1940"
- "NEDERLANDSCH-INDIË 1941-1942"
- "JAVA-ZEE 1941-1942"
- "MIDDELANDSE ZEE 1940-1945"
- "ARNHEM - NIJMEGEN - WALCHEREN 1944"
- "NORMANDIË 1944"
- "OOST-AZIË - ZUID-PACIFIC 1943-1945"

The bars are made of bronze and measure 35 mm wide and 6 mm high. It was only allowed to wear one bar for Common Service, but more bars for Special Service could be worn.

The ribbon is 27 mm wide and most orange. On both sides one can find a 7 mm wide green band. The ribbon can be worn in the traditional military way as a rosette or just hanging on a single ribbon. Het lint heeft een breedte van 27 mm en is overwegend oranje, met aan beide zijkanten een groene, 7 mm brede band.
On the Ribbon Bar, the received bars were pictured by eight-pointed stars. When one or two stars are worn, the bar measures 27 mm, but when more stars are worn, a 37 mm wide bar is used. On one bas only four stars are allowed to be worn.

Aarsen, Willem* April 17th, 1903
† June 14th, 1957

Akar, Philippe Henri* January 14th, 1919
† January 25th, 2022

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Grid List
Aarsen, Willem* April 17th, 1903
† June 14th, 1957

Adrichem Boogaert, van, Hendrik Albert N. A., Jhr.* December 29th, 1903
† April 16th, 1972

Aernout, William Otto Pierre Regina* September 16th, 1909
† September 19th, 1993

Aertsen, Servaas Klaas* January 26th, 1922
† December 25th, 1993

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Akar, Philippe Henri* January 14th, 1919
† January 25th, 2022

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Albach, Jan Philip* December 19th, 1903
† May 12th, 1940
Plot: C Row: I Grave: 166

Alblas, Aart Hendrik "Aramis"* September 20th, 1918
† September 7th, 1944

Alenson, Jacobus* February 9th, 1914
† December 22nd, 2002

Alewijk, van, Dirk Cornelis* August 4th, 1894
† June 27th, 1976

Alstede, Paulus Simon* June 20th, 1906
† February 27th, 1942

Alteren, van, Wiebe* March 20th, 1923
† January 20th, 1945
Plot: A Grave: 759

Andreoli, Joseph Maria Rudolph Herman* January 15th, 1916
† May 15th, 1984

Anemaet, Ricardo Antonio Dionicio "Cardo"* April 21st, 1912
† December 29th, 1991

Appelboom, Machiel "Max"* March 7th, 1924
† November 5th, 2003

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Arends, Hendricus Petrus* December 20th, 1912
† December 5th, 1994

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Arendse, Johannes Carel Hendrikus* March 19th, 1914
† June 22nd, 2001

Arens, Hermanus Josephus Aloysius Caecilia* November 22nd, 1914
† October 22nd, 2005

Arkel, van, Jan* August 27th, 1919
† February 23rd, 2011

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Arkel, van, Johan Albert* July 7th, 1914
† May 30th, 1972

Asbeck, van, Thomas Karel, Baron* October 14th, 1899
† October 23rd, 1966

Asjes, Dirk Lucas* June 21st, 1911
† February 1st, 1997

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Asselberghs, Edgard* January 9th, 1925
† November 10th, 2005

Sources