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Hagers, August "Guus"

Nationality:
Dutch (1815-present, Kingdom)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Eerste-Luitenant Vlieger (Flying Officer)
Unit:
No 18 (NEI) Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Awarded on:
October 28th, 1943
Official Citation:
"Having done 31 operational flights with No 18 Squadron; for encoutering enemy opposition on 22 of the operations end gaining results on 12 operations, specially for:
1- On March 12th 1942, after bombing the enemy aribase Fuiloro (Prtugese Timor) coming under attack of four enemy fighters, after whicht his aircraft was severely damaged an engine out of action, still being able to keep in formation, thus giving his gunner the oppertunity -although wounded- shooting down one of the attackers. After that still being able to fly the damaged plane over fourhundred miles of sea to its base;
2- During a strafe on the Island of Selaroe on July 7th 1943, putting an enemy anti-aircraft post out of action. Then when during the enitial bombraid an enemy munitions depot exploded, his plane was thus damaged that his right landing gear was damaged, he still was able to bring back plane and crew safe to its home base;
3- During a nightly bombing attack on the enemy airbase Penfoei (Timor) on Juli 11th 1943, being captured in the bundles of enemy searchlights, still finishing the raid in spite of being blinded and under heavy Anti Aircraft fire.
Although blinded by the lights he was able to keep his plane, that was thrown on its back by an exploding enemy granade, out of a vrille and bringing plane and crew back to its home base after a flight of more than 500 miles.

Royal Decree No. 3 dd October 28th 1943
Vliegerkruis (VK)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Eerste-Luitenant Vlieger (Flying Officer)
Unit:
No 18 (NEI) Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Awarded on:
October 28th, 1943
Eervolle Vermelding (EV)
With the Vliegerkruis (Flying Cross)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Eerste-Luitenant Vlieger (Flying Officer)
Awarded on:
February 24th, 1945

Replaced the Vliegerkruis (Flying Cross) with Eervolle Vermelding (Honorable Metion).
Royal Decree No. 10.
Bronzen Leeuw (BL)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Eerste-Luitenant Vlieger (Flying Officer)
Unit:
No 18 (NEI) Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Awarded on:
December 21st, 1944
Vliegerkruis (VK)
For throwing leaflets.

Royal Decre No. 2
Was revoced by Royal Decree Nr. 10 dd February 24th 1945
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Eerste-Luitenant Vlieger (Flying Officer)
Unit:
No 18 (NEI) Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Awarded on:
February 24th, 1945
By Royal Decree No. 10 dd February 24th 1945.
For a leaflet flight over Java on September 24th 1944.
Vliegerkruis (VK)

Sources

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