Bronze Cross (Netherlands)

The Bronze Cross of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: "Het Bronzen Kruis") was instituted on 11 June 1940 by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands while she was residing in London during the German occupation of the Netherlands. The Bronze Cross has precedence after the Resistance Star East Asia, but is the third highest military decoration still being awarded for bravery.

Bronze Cross
Type	Military award
Awarded for	Acts of courage and leadership in the face of the enemy.
Description	The medal is a bronze cross pattée. A wreath consisting of tendrils of oak and laurel leaves is tied around the royal cypher. The orange ribbon has a Nassau blue stripe in the center. Orange is the colour of the Queen, the head of the House of Orange, and blue is the heraldic colour of the ancestral house of Nassau.
Presented by	Kingdom of the Netherlands
Eligibility	Military Personnel, merchant navy and civilians in the resistance
Campaign(s)	World War II and later campaigns
Clasps	none; if the cross is awarded again a large Arabic golden figure "2" or "3" is attached to the ribbon.
Status	Currently awarded
First awarded	11 June 1940
Last awarded	On 7 October 2009 to 1st Lt Alex Spanhak for his actions in Afghanistan
Total	3,501
Total awarded posthumously	Posthumous awards are possible
Ribbon bar of the Bronze Cross
Precedence
Next (higher)	Resistance Star East Asia
Next (lower)	Cross of Merit

Several British, American, Canadian and Polish soldiers are among the 3,501 recipients of the Bronze Cross that is awarded by Royal Decree.