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Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm, citation: ‘Major General Maurice Delvoie,
Belgian Army, for exceptionally meritorious achievement which aided the United
States in the prosecution of the war against the enemy in Continental Europe,
while serving as Belgian Military Attache to the French Government at London
and Paris, from July 1943 to April 1946. Major General Delvoie performed his
duties in an outstandingly excellent manner. In addition to his normal duties he
was extremely active as a liaison officer between Allied Forces dealing with
matters pertaining to the repatriation of Belgian prisoners. Furthermore he was of
great assistance in co-ordinating the instruction of Belgian officers with that given
Americans at United States Officer-Training Center at Fontainebleau. Major
General Delvoie’s great tact, diplomacy, and superior devotion to the allied
cause contributed materially to the maintenance of close Belgo-American
relations, reflecting high credit upon him and the Allied Armed Forces’
Maurice Hector Robert Delvoie was born in Antwerp on 21 March 1885. He
entered the Belgian Army Cadets School in 1901, becoming a 2nd Lieutenant in
the Belgian Infantry in 1904. In 1905 he joined the 3rd Lancers, becoming a
Lieutenant in 1912. As a Lieutenant in the cavalry he entered the Great War from
the onset and remained at the front for the duration of the conflict, serving in
both the cavalry and artillery. At the end of the war Delvoie held the rank of
Acting Major, being promoted to that rank in 1922, Lieutenant-Colonel in 1930
and Colonel in 1935. In 1938, Delvoie was posted to the Belgian Embassy in
Paris as Military Attache. During 1939-40 he served as the head of the Belgian
military mission to the inter-allied commander, being promoted to Major-General
in 1939. Following the fall of France, Delvoie escaped to Britain and joined the
Belgian Government-in-Exile. He was appointed as an advisor to the Belgian
Minister of Defence and also served as Belgian Military Attache and Liaison
Officer to General de Gaulle, 1941-44.
Amongst his wartime services was to set up and operate an escape route through Spain and Portugal (code name Benoót)
Approximately 200 allied personnel were evacuated through this route. Following the allied invasion and the liberation of the Low
Countries, Delvoie returned to Belgium and took charge of the repatriation of Belgian prisoners-of-war and refugees. After the war
Delvoie served as Belgian military advisor to the Paris Peace Conference of 1946. Less than a year later he was appointed to head the
Belgian delegation to the United Nations Commission for Greece - following the civil war in that country. Delvoie formally retired from
the Belgian Army in 1946, with the honorary rank of Lieutenant-General. Was later the Force Commander for UNMOGIP (United
Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan). Later emigrating to Canada, Lieutenant-General Delvoie died in Montreal on
12 April 1971.
With a photograph album containing photographs dating from 1912 to 1946 - mostly of a military nature; a riband bar, and a letter
from a member of Delvoie’s family; together with copied research, including service record and the article, ‘From the Trenches of the
First World War to UN Peacekeeping: A Recipient of the Medal of Freedom: Lieutenant-General Maurice Delvoie’, by Christopher
McCreery.
399
Australia, DEFENCE FORCE SERVICE MEDAL 1982, no bar, unnamed; NATIONAL MEDAL 1975, no bar, unnamed; G.B., NATIONAL RIFLE
ASSOCIATION KING’S TROPHY COMPETITION MEDAL, 51mm., silver, unnamed, in case of issue; COLLEGE OF ARMS QUINCENTENARY MEDAL
1484-1984, obverse: bust of King Richard III, 62mm., gilt base metal, in case of issue, extremely fine (4) £60-80
400
Egypt, REPUBLIC, LIBERATION OF KUWAIT MEDAL 1990-91 2nd Class, silver and
enamel, stamp mark on suspension, n.r., good very fine, scarce £90-110
401
Egypt, SASHES (3), Order of Mohammed Ali; Order of El Kemal, watered silk; Order of the Nile, ‘Republic’ type - darker
and heavier weave - all are full sashes complete with bow; Order of the Nile, ‘Kingdom’ type, 4th Class, lengths of
ribbon complete with rosettes (8), contained in original (damaged) card box, very good condition (11) £100-140
www.dnw.co.uk
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