First Division 7 December
Encyclopedia
The Eerste Divisie "7 December" or "First Division 7 December" was a division
of the Royal Netherlands Army
, active from at least 1946 to 2004. It was sent to the Dutch East Indies
to restore "peace, order and security" in 1946. The Netherlands planned to gradually give the East Indies greater autonomy, but the proclamation of the independent Republic of Indonesia two days after Japan's capitulation accelerated these events.
The division was named after the speech of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in London
on December 7, 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The division was withdrawn from the East Indies in 1949–1950 and spent the remainder of the Cold War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 deterring a Soviet attack on West Germany
. In 1985 it had its headquarters at Schaarsbergen, and divisional troops included the 102 Reconnaissance Battalion (maintained through the Dutch mobilisation system RIM) at Hoogland
. 11th Mechanised Brigade included the 12 and 48 Mechanised Battalions, the 101 Tank Battalion, and the 11 Field Artillery Battalion. 12th Mechanised Brigade was headquartered at Nunspreet and 13th Armoured Brigade
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 '7 December' title was transferred to the 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
(11th Airmobile Brigade) .
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Royal Netherlands Army
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
, active from at least 1946 to 2004. It was sent to the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
to restore "peace, order and security" in 1946. The Netherlands planned to gradually give the East Indies greater autonomy, but the proclamation of the independent Republic of Indonesia two days after Japan's capitulation accelerated these events.
The division was named after the speech of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on December 7, 1942: "I imagine, without prejudice to the government conference's advice, that they will focus on a National Association, which the Netherlands, Indonesia
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
and Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
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
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
as part of NATO Northern Army Group
Northern Army Group
The Northern Army Group was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in the Federal Republic of Germany.- History :...
's I (Netherlands) Corps deterring a Soviet attack on West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. In 1985 it had its headquarters at Schaarsbergen, and divisional troops included the 102 Reconnaissance Battalion (maintained through the Dutch mobilisation system RIM) at Hoogland
Hoogland
Hoogland is a village and former free-standing municipality in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands. The village population is 10,587 people ....
. 11th Mechanised Brigade included the 12 and 48 Mechanised Battalions, the 101 Tank Battalion, and the 11 Field Artillery Battalion. 12th Mechanised Brigade was headquartered at Nunspreet and 13th Armoured Brigade
13 Gemechaniseerde (Mechanized) Brigade
The 13 Gemechaniseerde Brigade is one of the two mechanized brigades in the Royal Netherlands Army the other being the 43 Gemechaniseerde Brigade. The Brigade has armored and non-armored vehicles to its disposal...
at Oirschot
Oirschot
Oirschot is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. It is situated 12 km from the city of Eindhoven and 20 km from the city of Tilburg in the province Noord-Brabant...
.
After the end of the Cold War it became part of the I. German/Dutch Corps
I. German/Dutch Corps
1 German/Netherlands Corps is a multinational formation consisting of units from both the Royal Dutch Army and German Army. It is also part of NATO's Response Force, a military force consisting of approximately 25,000 troops. The Corps' headquarters are situated in Münster , formerly the...
for a period. The division was disbanded on 1 January 2004 and the '7 December' title was transferred to the 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
The 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade '7 December is the elite rapid-reaction air assault unit of the Royal Netherlands Army. Its operators are trained to be deployed via helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft , and can be deployed anywhere in the world within 7 to maximally 20 days...
(11th Airmobile Brigade) .
Sources
- Alfred van Sprang Wij werden geroepen : de geschiedenis van de 7 December Divisie, met zweten en zwoegen geschreven door twintigduizend Nederlandse mannen (1949)
- Herinneringsalbum 1e infanterie brigadegroep C Divisie “7 December” 1e deel 1 September 1946 - 1 mrt. 1947, 2e deel mrt. 1947 - sept 1947, 3e deel sept. 1947 - mrt. 1948 en 4e deel 1 mrt. 1948 – Demobilisatie. Uitgegeven door A. W. Sijthoff's uitgeversmij N.V. te Leiden
- Arthur ten Cate De laatste divisie : de geschiedenis van 1 Divisie '7 December' na de val van de Muur 1989-2004 (2004) ISBN 9012106699)