Dutch army issued awards for bravery

On october 7th 2009 16 soldiers received a medal for bravery under harsh conditons and most under enemy fire.
All of the men fought in Afghanistan.

1 Medal, The bronze lion, was awarded posthume to captain Peterse.
The bronze lion is the highest medal awarded for bravery, it is followed by the Willemsorde.
captain Peterse was awarded the medal because he lead his small commandoforce to victory during a battle in Afghanistan.
His unit was surprised in an ambush but he managed to escape safe with all his men.
He died in a parachute accident.

Lt Spanhak (13 airmobile infantrybn) received a bronze cross.
When some men of his unit were under heavy fire he collected a team and moved out to save them before the official QRF could react.
He personally enabled the unit to escape the ambush, unfortunately 1 soldier was killed during this action.
The LT personally dragged the kia away from the frontline.

The men below were awarded with the Dutch cross of honour:

Korporal Groen (12 airmobile infantrybn) received his award for bravery under fire.
After his unit dismounted their vehicles they came under fire.
Groen managed to get back to the vehicles running over 700 meters of open terrain and was able to cover his units retreat with the main weapons onboard his vehicle.

Sergeant Wiesken (43 security squadron) was awarded because he personally safed the life of his colleague corporal van der Kuijlen.
The corporal was injured by enemy fire.
Allthough under heavy enemy fire Wiesken was able to get the corporal into safety.

Sergeant Vissers (17 armored infantrybn)
Took over command of his platoon after his platoonleader was injured in an ambush.
He took great risks to recover more wounded men and by helping stranded vehicles get back on the road again.
All this time he kept overview of the events by staying unbuttoned on top of his APC.

Sergeant Neef (13 airmobile infantrybn) was awarded for bravery because je left the protection of his APC to assist Lt Spanhak.

Sergeant major Van Velsen (45 armored infantrybn)
Was awarded for bravery because he swam across the river Helmand twice to safe and rescue Isaf and Afghan soldiers from a burning Quala.

All others were members of the KCT( Dutch commando unit) whos names were not given for OPSEC.

Henk

Dutch:

Een uniek moment.
Een goede vriend en collega, Kapitein Fred, bij ons Korps Natres, hoofd van de Communicatiegroep op het korpsbureau, heeft vanavond uit handen van kolonel Maurice Bastin, hoofd Afdeling Reservisten Aangelegenheden van Staf CLAS, het gevechtsinsigne opgespeld gekregen.
Dit insigne wordt uitgereikt aan militairen die tijdens gevechtsacties moedig en doortastend hebben opgetreden, onder vijandelijk vuur waarbij niet alleen het redden van het eigen vege lijf maar ook het beschermen van het leven van anderen aan de orde moet zijn geweest. Onze Fred heeft tijdens zijn uitzending als Combat Camera man, op patrouille met een Engelse en Australische eenheden diverse keren onder vuur gelegen. Een voorval in januari 2009 was dermate heftig, dat de commandant van die eenheid Fred heeft voorgedragen voor deze onderscheiding. Als je de beschrijving van het gebeurde leest, een voorrecht dat ik eerder dit jaar had, dan kan de conclusie niet anders luiden dan volkomen terecht. Dat vond ook de zeer kritische commissie die over de uitreiking van deze insignes gaat.

En daarmee is onze Fred de eerste reservist die deze onderscheiding krijgt.   

English:

A friend of mine, Captain Fred chief communications for the corps NATRES was awarded with a medal for bravery under fire: Het Gevechtsinsigne this medal is awarded for actions to save a mans live, save his unit and/or bravery.
Fred was awarded the medal for his actions in Afghanistan.
He served as combat photographer with English and Australian units for 6 months.
In 2009 he got involved in a fierce firefight with the Taliban, the medal was awarded to him because of his actions that day.
As a reserve soldier Fred could enjoy some privileges, but instead he chose to be one of the guys.
This meant that he had to carry his part of the squads weapons, ammo ,food and water and on top of that about 16 kilos of cameras and other stuff.
Something for which he received a lot of credit from his foreign comrades.
Fred is the first Dutch reserve soldier to receive this medal!

LOL