22:
117:
225:
249:(irregulars) and, as such, not under the protection of international law if taken prisoner. Demands were made that they be disarmed and disbanded. In view of the German shooting of Belgian civilian hostages during the early stages of the invasion such threats were taken seriously and on 13 October 1914
100:
It was composed of citizens aged between 21 and 50 who did not already have military obligations as serving soldiers or reservists. Those aged between 21 and 32 were required to undertake training ten times annually, while the second class (aged 33–50) were obliged only to register their addresses at
191:
During the 19th century these "civic soldiers" had frequently been employed to control strikes or disorders. Membership in infantry units located in urban areas was in principle obligatory for adult men who could afford their own uniforms and had not served in the regular army. The more prestigious
240:
were mobilised following the German invasion of
Belgium on 4 August 1914. Their intended functions were to secure lines of communication, guard bridges and other installations, escort prisoners and maintain order outside the actual areas of combat. The German military authorities however chose to
96:
was organized at a local level, originally in all communes with more than 30,000 inhabitants. Subsequently this "constitutional force" was limited to those towns having a population of 10,000 or more. More thinly populated communities did not have this obligation unless subject to special
215:
The 40,700 civil guardsmen serving in the active portion ("1st Ban") of the force were required to provide their own uniforms. Weapons, leather equipment and items such as drums and bugles were all issued from central stocks held by the
Ministry of the Interior.
187:
was to maintain order and preserve the independence and integrity of
Belgium. It was anticipated that in the event of invasion the Civic Guard would be mobilised as part of the national defence, upon the passing of legislation by parliament.
284:
had proven to be of limited military use and was no longer required for the role of ensuring social order that had been its prime purpose during the 19th century. The force was accordingly formally disbanded in 1920.
76:", with the primary role of maintaining social order within Belgium. Increasingly anachronistic, it was demobilised in 1914 and officially disbanded in 1920, following a disappointing performance during the
714:
204:
had its own dark blue or green uniform, generally following the pattern of those worn by the regular army but with a number of variations. Infantry wore a wide brimmed hat with plume, cavalry a fur
734:
729:
101:
regular intervals. A third class was composed of older volunteers, who were not equipped, uniformed or armed and were expected only to provide support functions in their local regions. The
72:, the Guard amalgamated the various militia groups which had been created by the middle classes to protect property during the political uncertainty. Its role was as a quasi-military "
709:
719:
277:
212:. Officers followed the same system of ranks and insignia as the army but traditionally substituted silver braiding and badges for the gold/bronze of the regulars.
156:(armed firemen). About half of these special corps were concentrated in the urban areas of Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Liège, reflecting the historic role of the
704:
699:
116:
639:
614:
581:
560:
540:
493:
468:
447:
427:
406:
386:
332:
521:
Colour plates by Louis Geens, published in Issues 65 and 66 of "Tradition - the
Journal of the International Society of Military Collectors"
21:
667:
361:
77:
105:
was, in peacetime, the responsibility of the
Ministry of the Interior rather than the Ministry of War. It was distinct from the
724:
167:
were retained primarily for ceremonial purposes and were armed only with sabres and revolvers. The Liège
Company of the
272:
Upon entering liberated
Belgium territory in October 1918, King Albert was reportedly met by a saluting veteran of the
205:
264:
was not in the event acted on. While a number were held in prisoner of war camps all had been released by 1915.
140:
units were infantry but there were some artillery and mounted detachments. On the eve of World War I the
294:
106:
250:
34:
683:
175:
at the time of the German invasion in August 1914 and served as infantry in defence of the city.
69:
30:
663:
635:
610:
577:
556:
536:
489:
464:
443:
423:
402:
382:
357:
328:
129:
606:
353:
598:
345:
304:
276:
in full-dress uniform who had kept his equipment and rifle hidden during the four years of
53:
297:(Rijkswacht), a military police force in Belgium active from 1830 and disbanded in 1992.
300:
192:
cavalry and artillery units were made up of volunteers, usually from affluent classes.
57:
693:
599:
346:
308:
246:
81:
73:
224:
68:
which existed between 1830 and 1920. Created in
October 1830 shortly after the
172:
257:. Most of its younger members transferred to the regular Belgian Army.
65:
61:
686:
at 1914-1918 Online: International
Encyclopedia of the First World War
223:
209:
125:
115:
20:
555:
Page 51 "Handbook of the
Belgian Army", British War Office 1914,
442:
Page 51 "Handbook of the Belgian Army", British War Office 1914,
401:
Page 52 "Handbook of the Belgian Army", British War Office 1914,
327:
Page 50 "Handbook of the Belgian Army", British War Office 1914,
280:. Such incidents could not however avoid the reality that the
148:(light infantry), 17 batteries of artillery, 4 squadrons of
715:
Military units and formations of Belgium in World War I
381:(1. ed.). Vienna: Verlag Militeria. p. 170.
422:(1. ed.). Vienna: Verlag Militeria. p. 54.
260:
The German threat to execute captured members of the
735:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1920
488:(1st ed.). Oxford: Osprey. pp. 184–185.
730:Military units and formations established in 1830
344:Courcelle, Pawly R. & Lierneux P. (2009).
303:, a comparable quasi-military police force in
634:(1st ed.). Oxford: Osprey. p. 186.
576:(1st ed.). Oxford: Osprey. p. 187.
535:(1st ed.). Oxford: Osprey. p. 187.
463:(1st ed.). Oxford: Osprey. p. 184.
352:(1. publ. ed.). Oxford: Osprey. p.
8:
710:Defunct law enforcement agencies of Belgium
720:Military units and formations of Belgium
605:(1st ed.). Oxford: Osprey. p.
420:The Belgian Army in the Great War Vol. 2
379:The Belgian Army in the Great War Vol. 2
320:
510:La Garde Civique belge et ses origins
113:) which formed part of the military.
7:
160:as a force to maintain civil order.
14:
705:1920 disestablishments in Belgium
152:(light horse) and 3 companies of
632:The Belgian Army in World War I
630:Pawly, R; Lierneux, P. (2009).
601:The Belgian Army in World War I
597:Pawly, R; Lierneux, P. (2009).
574:The Belgian Army in World War I
572:Pawly, R; Lierneux, P. (2009).
533:The Belgian Army in World War I
531:Pawly, R; Lierneux, P. (2009).
486:The Belgian Army in World War I
484:Pawly, R; Lierneux, P. (2009).
461:The Belgian Army in World War I
459:Pawly, R; Lierneux, P. (2009).
348:The Belgian Army in World War I
253:decreed the dissolution of the
700:1830 establishments in Belgium
1:
163:The mounted component of the
660:Histoire de la Garde Civique
228:Motorised personnel of the
751:
200:Each regional unit of the
183:The stated purpose of the
78:German invasion of Belgium
658:Leclercq, Pierre (2005).
418:Lierneux, Pierre (2017).
377:Lierneux, Pierre (2017).
171:were however issued with
144:included 33 companies of
124:on parade in the city of
120:1912 caricature of the
60:; "Civic Guard") was a
241:regard members of the
233:
133:
37:
227:
196:Uniform and equipment
119:
24:
725:Defunct gendarmeries
662:. Brussels: Labor.
220:Role in World War I
107:Belgian Gendarmerie
35:Jean-Baptiste Madou
234:
169:chasseurs-à-cheval
150:chasseurs-à-cheval
134:
70:Belgian Revolution
38:
31:Belgian Revolution
29:at the end of the
641:978-1-84603-448-0
616:978-1-84603-448-0
583:978-1-84603-448-0
561:978-1-78331-094-4
542:978-1-84603-448-0
495:978-1-84603-448-0
470:978-1-84603-448-0
448:978-1-78331-094-4
429:978-3-902526-86-1
407:978-1-78331-094-4
388:978-3-902526-86-1
333:978-1-78331-094-4
278:German occupation
268:Final disbandment
130:Jules De Bruycker
742:
673:
646:
645:
627:
621:
620:
604:
594:
588:
587:
569:
563:
553:
547:
546:
528:
522:
519:
513:
506:
500:
499:
481:
475:
474:
456:
450:
440:
434:
433:
415:
409:
399:
393:
392:
374:
368:
367:
351:
341:
335:
325:
305:Congo Free State
208:and artillery a
154:sapeurs-pompiers
146:chasseurs-à-pied
25:Painting of the
750:
749:
745:
744:
743:
741:
740:
739:
690:
689:
680:
670:
657:
654:
652:Further reading
649:
642:
629:
628:
624:
617:
596:
595:
591:
584:
571:
570:
566:
554:
550:
543:
530:
529:
525:
520:
516:
508:Aug. Bernard,
507:
503:
496:
483:
482:
478:
471:
458:
457:
453:
441:
437:
430:
417:
416:
412:
400:
396:
389:
376:
375:
371:
364:
343:
342:
338:
326:
322:
318:
291:
270:
222:
198:
181:
90:
17:
16:Belgian militia
12:
11:
5:
748:
746:
738:
737:
732:
727:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
692:
691:
688:
687:
679:
678:External links
676:
675:
674:
668:
653:
650:
648:
647:
640:
622:
615:
589:
582:
564:
548:
541:
523:
514:
501:
494:
476:
469:
451:
435:
428:
410:
394:
387:
369:
362:
336:
319:
317:
314:
313:
312:
301:Force Publique
298:
290:
287:
269:
266:
221:
218:
197:
194:
180:
177:
128:by the artist
89:
86:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
747:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
697:
695:
685:
684:Garde Civique
682:
681:
677:
671:
669:9782804020224
665:
661:
656:
655:
651:
643:
637:
633:
626:
623:
618:
612:
608:
603:
602:
593:
590:
585:
579:
575:
568:
565:
562:
558:
552:
549:
544:
538:
534:
527:
524:
518:
515:
512:, Liege 1905
511:
505:
502:
497:
491:
487:
480:
477:
472:
466:
462:
455:
452:
449:
445:
439:
436:
431:
425:
421:
414:
411:
408:
404:
398:
395:
390:
384:
380:
373:
370:
365:
363:9781846034480
359:
355:
350:
349:
340:
337:
334:
330:
324:
321:
315:
310:
309:Belgian Congo
306:
302:
299:
296:
293:
292:
288:
286:
283:
279:
275:
274:Garde Civique
267:
265:
263:
258:
256:
252:
251:King Albert I
248:
247:franc-tireurs
244:
239:
238:Garde Civique
231:
226:
219:
217:
213:
211:
207:
203:
195:
193:
189:
186:
178:
176:
174:
170:
166:
165:Garde Civique
161:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
142:Garde Civique
139:
131:
127:
123:
122:Garde Civique
118:
114:
112:
108:
104:
103:Garde Civique
98:
97:legislation.
95:
87:
85:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
64:paramilitary
63:
59:
55:
51:
50:
45:
44:
43:Garde Civique
36:
32:
28:
27:Garde Civique
23:
19:
659:
631:
625:
600:
592:
573:
567:
551:
532:
526:
517:
509:
504:
485:
479:
460:
454:
438:
419:
413:
397:
378:
372:
347:
339:
323:
281:
273:
271:
261:
259:
254:
242:
237:
235:
229:
214:
201:
199:
190:
184:
182:
168:
164:
162:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
136:Most of the
135:
121:
110:
102:
99:
93:
91:
88:Organisation
48:
47:
42:
41:
39:
26:
18:
295:Gendarmerie
82:World War I
74:gendarmerie
49:Burgerwacht
33:of 1831 by
694:Categories
316:References
111:Rijkswacht
289:See also
173:carbines
179:Purpose
66:militia
62:Belgian
666:
638:
613:
580:
559:
539:
492:
467:
446:
426:
405:
385:
360:
331:
232:, 1904
54:French
282:Garde
262:Garde
255:Garde
243:Garde
230:Garde
210:shako
206:busby
202:Garde
185:Garde
158:Garde
138:Garde
126:Ghent
94:Garde
58:Dutch
664:ISBN
636:ISBN
611:ISBN
578:ISBN
557:ISBN
537:ISBN
490:ISBN
465:ISBN
444:ISBN
424:ISBN
403:ISBN
383:ISBN
358:ISBN
329:ISBN
307:and
236:The
92:The
56:and
40:The
245:as
80:in
46:or
696::
609:.
356:.
84:.
672:.
644:.
619:.
607:7
586:.
545:.
498:.
473:.
432:.
391:.
366:.
354:7
311:.
132:.
109:(
52:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
