History

The Medal for Bravery and Loyalty was established by Royal Decree in 1839, but it was later replaced by the Cross for Bravery and Loyalty in 1898.

It was awarded to native military personnel in the Dutch East Indies for meritorious service and acts of courage and bravery. The Silver Medal was awarded to recipients of the Bronze Medal for repeated meritorious citations.

From 1839-1869, the medal was awarded on a solid dark blue ribbon, but from 1869-1998 it was awarded on a yellow ribbon with two blue stripes.

There are two versions of the Bronze Medal that differ in inscription. The first version features a reverse inscription in Javanese, while the second version features a reverse inscription in Malay. The inscriptions are identical to the Dutch inscription on the obverse and translate to "In the Name of the King, for Bravery and Loyalty in the Netherlands Indies."

A total of 1156 Bronze Medals were awarded.