Cross for the Four Day Marches

Cross for Marching Proficiency Kruis Voor Betoonde Marsvaardigheid
Bronze cross, awarded for first successful march
Awarded by The Royal Dutch League for Physical Education
Country	The Netherlands
Type	Commemorative medal
Awarded for	Successful completion of the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen
Status	Currently awarded
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Golden Ark
Equivalent	Awards of Dutch NGO's
Next (lower)	Awards from international organizations
Ribbon bar of the medal

The Cross for the Four Day Marches (Dutch: Vierdaagsekruis) is a Dutch decoration awarded for successful participation in the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen (Vierdaagse in Dutch) held annually at Nijmegen, The Netherlands. The full title of the decoration is the Cross for Marching Proficiency (Kruis Voor Betoonde Marsvaardigheid). It is more commonly referred to as the Vierdaagse Cross or Vierdaagsekruis.

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.

The Cross is awarded by the Royal Dutch League for Physical Education (KNBLO or Koninklijke Nederlandsche Bond Voor Lichamelijke Opvoeding) who organise the Nijmegen Marches. Prior to 1959, when it received the Royal (Koninklijke) prefix, the League was known as the NBVLO.

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 Dutch East Indies between 1935 and 1939.

Although it is awarded by a non-governmental organisation, the Cross has received government approval and can be worn on the uniforms of the Armed forces of the Netherlands and other Dutch uniformed services, including the police, fire brigade and customs services. It is therefore an official decoration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This government recognition has extended over the years. Authority to wear in uniform was first granted in October 1909 to infantry 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 Royal Netherlands Navy were granted permission to wear in 1919 and army and naval officers from 1928.

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), and the USA. According to (United States) Army Regulation 600-8-22, Appendix E on page 172 under 'Netherlands', the Cross is listed as "Holland Four Day Event Cross" as being authorized for wear in uniform. Countries that do not allow the medal to be worn include Canada, Israel and the United Kingdom.