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Epke, Willem

Date of birth:
January 4th, 1923 (Bandoeng, Dutch East Indies)
Date of death:
August 20th, 2005 (Zierikzee, the Netherlands)
Nationality:
Dutch (1815-present, Kingdom)

Biography

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Period:
Indonesian War of Independence (1945-1949)
Awarded on:
January 4th, 1949
Recommendation:
For having distinguished himself in battle by eminent acts of courage, tact and loyalty in the period from August 1947 tot March 1948 against terrorist gangs in the region of Garut, western Java. In particular as commander of a shock troop, on average only 10 men strong, of the intelligence and security service of 3 Infantry Brigade, having inflicted serious losses, in continuous, highly audacious, skillful and determined actions, to republican resistance groups and other undependable elements during a large number of often extremely hazardous operations by day and night. In the very short period of these actions, he managed to inflict painful losses on the enemy of over 200 men killed or captured as well as arms, munitions and important documents and furthermore – under often equally trying circumstances – having evacuated many Dutch, Indo-Dutch, Chinese and a number of prominent Indonesian families to safer areas.

Royal Decree number 14
Ridder vierde klasse der Militaire Willems Orde (MWO.4)
Officier in de Orde van Oranje Nassau (ON.4)
Period:
Indonesian War of Independence (1945-1949)

Awarded with 3 clasps.
Ereteken voor Orde en Vrede

XXX
Ereteken voor Langdurige Dienst als Officier

Sources

Photo