This medal was instituted on 1 August 1945 by the Prince-Regent Karel, in three classes : gold, silver and bronze.

It was awarded to civilians, Belgian or foreign alike, who during the war had shown their patriotism in the humanitarian field by acts of courage.

The obverse shows a veiled woman (representing Belgium) with a rapier in her right hand, raised in salute. Red Cross members who qualified were awarded a medal with a red enamel cross in the open laurel wreath of the medal's suspension.

A good example of an award to non-Belgians is the gold medal to the Dutch village of Vught, given in recognition of the inhabitant's attitude towards the Belgian prisoners held in the German concentration camp there.