On 20 February 1941, the Dutch government in exile in London instituted several new awards for bravery.

The new way that wars were fought, with civilian resistance and the merchant navy in great peril, made this necessary.

Amongst the new decorations was the "Cross of Merit", (Dutch: Kruis van Verdienste) an award for "working in the interest of the Netherlands while faced with enemy actions and distinguishing oneself through valor and resolute behavior".

It was rarely awarded after the Korean War, but since the fighting of the Netherlands army in Afghanistan, Uruzgan, this World War II decoration has been awarded again on a regular basis with the latest on 7 October 2009 to eleven Dutch soldiers.

[1] During the World War II in the Far East this cross was awarded to several people employed by the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (K.P.M.)