Belgian order awarded to Admiral of the Fleet, Earl David Beatty, G C B (1871-1936) in 1918. Badge: A gold Maltese cross, enamelled white, of eight points each tipped with a small gold ball, upon a wreath of oak and laurel enamelled green. Surmounted by crossed swords pendant on a royal crown. Obverse: In the centre, the Belgian lion rampant (left) in gold on a black field encircled by a gold edged red band bearing the motto: 'L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE'. Reverse: 'L R' . Suspended by a ring from a sash of purple watered silk. Star: A facetted rayed silver star of eight points charged with two swords saltire, with the obverse medallion of the badge in the centre.

Beatty entered the navy in 1884 at the age of 13, training in ‘Britannia.’ He commanded a gunboat on the Nile during Kitchener's re-conquest of the Sudan, gaining the D.S.O. and early promotion to commander. He served in ‘Barfleur’ during the Boxer Rebellion, leading reinforcements to Tientsin and Hsiku. He was wounded during this operation. In 1910 he was promoted Rear-Admiral at an exceptionally early age. In 1912 Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, appointed him his naval secretary. During the First World War he commanded the battle-cruiser fleet based on Rosyth in HMS ‘Lion’ He achieved a decisive victory at Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914. During an action in the area of Dogger Bank, 24 January 1915, the ‘Blucher’ was sunk but the remaining German ships escaped. Beatty led the battle-cruiser fleet at Jutland 31 May 1916 - the only major naval action of the war. In 1916 he succeeded Jellicoe as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet and after the war, was First Sea Lord from 1919-1927.