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after each cross is awarded. Appropriate numbers are pinned on the ribbon for intervening years. In recent years further distinct crosses, with crown, have been added for a walker’s fortieth, fiftieth, sixtieth and seventieth successful march. To date the highest ribbon number awarded is 71 to Bert van der Lans, aged 86, in 2018. Annie
Berkhout completed her 66th march in 2002 and is the female record holder.
298:
Every year a walker successfully completes the march is marked either by a special cross, or a number to be attached to the ribbon of the last cross awarded. A cross is awarded in bronze for the first march, silver for the fifth and gold for the tenth, with a crown added above the cross for the year
279:
The decoration is a five-armed cross, with each arm bearing an initial of the awarding organisation. It has a width of 36 mm at its widest point and is suspended from a green-and-yellow (often orange-yellow) ribbon. Until 1958 the initials on the five arms read: ‘NBVLO’, with ‘KNBLO’ since 1959
310:
Between 1909 and 2022, about 659,800 walkers successfully completed the march 1,729,757 times. Therefore, approximately 659,800 first year crosses have been awarded, with nearly 1,070,000 further awards, including second year crowns, silver and gold crosses and ribbon numbers. Of the awards for the
199:
The cross was established in 1909 at the time of the first march, to award successful military participants of the
Vierdaagse. Since 1910 it has been awarded to all participants who successfully complete all four days, both military and civilian. Beginning in 2009 wheelchair users who complete the
311:
highest number of marches, approximately 851 walkers have been awarded the cross for forty years, about 199 for fifty years and thirteen for sixty years. The cross for seventy years has been awarded only twice, to Bert van der Lans in 2017 and to Dick
Koopman in 2019.
271:. According to (United States) Army Regulation 600-8-22, Appendix E, the Cross is listed as "Holland Four Day Event Cross" as being authorised for wear in uniform. Countries that do not allow the medal to be worn include Canada, Ireland, Israel and the United Kingdom.
284:(Royal) prefix. There have been other minor changes in design over the years. For example, in 1977 the previous silver gilt and silver crosses were replaced by base metal versions, with other design modifications in order to reduce costs.
235:
Normally all four days of the march have to be completed to earn the Cross. However in 2022, when the first day was cancelled due to the predicted extreme heat, the medal was awarded to all those who completed the final three days.
244:
Although it is awarded by a non-governmental organisation, the Cross has received Royal approval and is therefore an official decoration of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands. It can be worn on the uniforms of the
268:
267:
A number of other nations currently permit the
Vierdaagse cross to be worn in military uniform. These include: Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden (since 1977), South Africa and the
260:
soldiers below officer rank. Other soldiers could accept the decoration, but not wear it. As the March established itself, this authority widened with, for example, sailors of the
840:
290:
All medals were made by
Koninklijke Begeer of the South Holland town of Voorschoten until 1976, when the contract moved to W. van Veluw of Zeist, near Utrecht.
346:
714:
835:
228:
As well as the
Vierdaagse at Nijmegen, the cross was also awarded to those who completed the four day marches organised in various locations in the
418:
358:
322:
214:
210:
161:
62:
394:
430:
370:
252:
This government recognition has extended over the years. Authority to wear in uniform was first granted on 26 October 1909 by
551:
452:
728:
682:
302:
Only one cross, the last one awarded, is worn. For ribbon numbers, only the number most recently received should be worn.
447:
382:
334:
406:
750:
Ridderorden, eereteekenen, draagteekens en penningen, betreffende de
Weermacht van Nederland en Koloniën (1813-heden)
246:
820:
628:
653:
US Army
Regulation 600–8–22, Military Awards. Appendix E: Foreign Decorations (as of 16 Apr 2020).
812:
124:
261:
668:
601:
249:
and other Dutch uniformed services, including the police, fire brigade and customs services.
529:
8:
700:
583:
483:
229:
253:
555:
732:
686:
779:, Orders & Medals Research Society Journal. Vol 49, No 3, p 190–2. Sept 2010
153:
160:) is an official Dutch decoration awarded for successful participation in the
829:
487:
587:
39:
264:
granted permission to wear in 1919, and army and naval officers from 1928.
715:"Bert van der Lans loopt Vierdaagse voor zeventigste keer uit, een record"
477:
577:
73:
652:
101:
510:
Pearson, Richard (September 2010). "Medals of the
Nijmegen Marches".
257:
169:
807:
203:
The Cross is awarded by the Royal Dutch Walking League (KWBN or
287:
The reverse is plain except for the name of the manufacturer.
185:). It is more commonly referred to as the Vierdaagse Cross or
792:
50 Jaar Vereniging Gouden Kruisdragers Vierdaagse 1951 – 2001
767:
Onderscheidingen, Eretekens en Sportprijzen voor Vaardigheid
475:
219:
Koninklijke Nederlandsche Bond Voor Lichamelijke Opvoeding
669:"Medals of the Vierdaagse: Awards for 40 years or more"
172:, The Netherlands. The full title of the decoration is
821:
A note on the medal on the official Vierdaagse website
530:"4Daagse website: Then... and now! History of Marches"
841:Orders, decorations, and medals of the Netherlands
729:"De 70ste Vierdaagse van Dick Koopman is een feit"
827:
44:Bronze cross, awarded for first successful march
221:) and before 1959, when it received the Royal (
83:The Royal Dutch League for Physical Education
813:Dutch Orders and Decorations, Four Day Cross
512:Orders & Medals Research Society Journal
239:
213:. Prior to 2015 the League was known as the
758:H.G. Meijer, C.P. Mulder en B.W. Wagenaar,
204:
186:
173:
29:
760:Orders and Decorations of the Netherlands
663:
661:
479:Orders and Decorations of The Netherlands
215:Royal Dutch League for Physical Education
200:course have been eligible for the cross.
836:International Four Days Marches Nijmegen
683:"Van der Lans scherpt record verder aan"
471:
469:
467:
63:International Four Days Marches Nijmegen
623:
621:
619:
509:
142:Awards from international organizations
828:
658:
717:(in Dutch). Omroep GLD. 21 July 2017.
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
476:Meijer, Mulder and Wagenaar. (1984).
464:
453:Orderly Medal of the Four Day Marches
183: Cross for Marching Proficiency
701:"Medals of the Vierdaagse: Overview"
616:
554:. KWBN. 27 July 2018. Archived from
388:Cross in silver, 6th year. 1977–2009
376:Cross in silver, 5th year. From 1959
364:Cross in bronze, 2nd year. From 2010
352:Cross in bronze, 2nd year. 1977–2009
340:Cross in bronze, 1st year. From 1959
602:"Vierdaagse dinsdag wordt afgelast"
448:Group Medal of the Four Day Marches
436:Cross in gold, 70th year. From 2017
424:Cross in gold, 60th year. From 2007
412:Cross in gold, 11th year. 1977–2009
328:Cross in bronze, 1st year. Pre 1959
179:
175:Kruis Voor Betoonde Marsvaardigheid
31:Kruis Voor Betoonde Marsvaardigheid
13:
742:
604:(in Dutch). RN7 News. 17 July 2022
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808:Medals of the Nijmegen Vierdaagse
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206:Koninklijke Wandel Bond Nederland
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369:
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38:
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247:Armed forces of the Netherlands
162:International Four Days Marches
777:Medals of the Nijmegen Marches
765:H.G. Meijer en B.W. Wagenaar,
646:
594:
570:
544:
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150:Cross for the Four Day Marches
27:Cross for Marching Proficiency
1:
458:
256:in a Royal Decree to wear to
61:Successful completion of the
552:"KWBN website: organisation"
7:
582:. KNBLO. 1991. p. 59.
168:in Dutch) held annually at
10:
857:
655:(Access date: 22 May 2020)
400:Cross in silver, From 2010
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240:Wear on military uniforms
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225:) prefix, as the NBVLO.
53:Sports proficiency medal
232:between 1935 and 1939.
125:Order of the Golden Ark
106:Ribbon bar of the medal
532:. Stichting De 4Daagse
262:Royal Netherlands Navy
205:
187:
174:
157:
30:
134:Awards of Dutch NGO's
482:. pp. 144–145.
629:"Rewards | 4Daagse"
209:) who organise the
121:Next (higher)
783:De Wereld Wandelt
579:De Wereld Wandelt
230:Dutch East Indies
146:
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139:Next (lower)
91:Currently awarded
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211:Nijmegen Marches
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18:Dutch decoration
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794:, KNBLO, 1993.
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743:Further reading
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735:. 19 July 2019.
733:De Gelderlander
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306:Numbers awarded
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280:to reflect the
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188:Vierdaagsekruis
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158:Vierdaagsekruis
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633:www.4daagse.nl
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442:Related awards
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636:. Retrieved
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560:. Retrieved
556:the original
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80:Presented by
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282:Koninklijke
223:Koninklijke
74:Netherlands
58:Awarded for
830:Categories
816:(in Dutch)
796:(in Dutch)
787:(in Dutch)
771:(in Dutch)
754:(in Dutch)
748:W.F. Bax,
459:References
217:(KNBLO or
166:Vierdaagse
131:Equivalent
116:Precedence
488:799285223
769:, 2000.
752:, 1973.
588:65657473
258:infantry
170:Nijmegen
608:30 July
562:27 July
536:30 July
315:Gallery
195:History
180:transl.
69:Country
762:, 1984
638:26 May
586:
486:
275:Design
88:Status
154:Dutch
21:Award
640:2023
610:2022
584:OCLC
564:2018
538:2022
484:OCLC
148:The
72:The
50:Type
269:USA
832::
660:^
631:.
618:^
516:49
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496:^
466:^
191:.
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178:(
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