First Division 7 December

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First Division 7 December
Eerste Divisie "7 December"
Eerste divisie 7 December embleem logo Expeditionaire macht.jpg
Emblem of the Eerste Divisie "7 December"
Active1946–2004
Country Netherlands
BranchArmy
Part of I (Netherlands) Corps
Garrison/HQ Schaarsbergen

The First Division 7 December (Dutch : Eerste Divisie "7 December") was a division of the Royal Netherlands Army, active from at least 1946 to 2004. It was sent to Indonesia in 1946 to restore "peace, order and security" after the proclamation of Indonesian Independence in 1945.

Contents

History

The division was named after the speech of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in London on 7 December 1942: "I imagine, without prejudice to the government conference's advice, that they will focus on a National Association, which the Netherlands, Indonesia, Suriname and Curaçao will have participated together, while each in itself, its own autonomy in internal affairs and drawing on their own, but together with the will to assist, will represent. It will be difference of treatment based on race or national character have no place, but will only have the personal ability of citizens and the needs of different populations for the decisive policy of the Government."

The division was withdrawn from the East Indies in 1949–1950 and spent the remainder of the Cold War as part of NATO Northern Army Group's I (Netherlands) Corps as a deterrent against a Soviet attack on West Germany. In 1985, it had its headquarters at Schaarsbergen, and divisional troops included the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion (maintained through the Dutch mobilisation system RIM) at Hoogland. [1] The 11th Mechanised Brigade included the 12th and 48th Mechanised Battalions, the 101st Tank Battalion, and the 11th Field Artillery Battalion. The 12th Mechanised Brigade was headquartered at Nunspeet and the 13th Armoured Brigade was at Oirschot.

After the end of the Cold War, it became part of the I. German/Dutch Corps for a period. The division was disbanded on 1 January 2004 and the title of '7 December' was transferred to the 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade (11th Airmobile Brigade). [2]

Divisional Organization 1989

Soldiers of the 7 December Division carry a wounded soldier out of an ambulance in the Dutch East Indies Daf-Ziekenauto-7-December-Divisie.jpg
Soldiers of the 7 December Division carry a wounded soldier out of an ambulance in the Dutch East Indies
Memorial reunion of the 7 December Division at the Oranjekazerne in Schaarsbergen on Friday 5 December 2008 05-12-2008-herdenking-7-december-divisie.jpg
Memorial reunion of the 7 December Division at the Oranjekazerne in Schaarsbergen on Friday 5 December 2008

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References

  1. Isby, David C.; Kamps, Charles Tustin (1985). Armies of NATO's Central Front. Jane's Publishing Company. p. 331. ISBN   9780710603418.
  2. "Organisatie" [Organization]. 7DecemberDivisie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-05-29. Op 1 januari 2004 werd 1 Divisie '7 December' opgeheven maar de naam leeft voort in de 11 LMB AASLT "7 December"

Sources