Op 29 april werd het Mobilisatie Oorlogskruis uitgereikt aan Dieuweke Halberstadt, de kleindochter van wijlen Sgt. Vlieger Militaire Luchtvaartafdeling (MLA) van het KNIL
Robert Christiaan HALBERSTADT. Luitenant-kolonel bd Jacques Brijlhield daarbij een toespraak:
“General Bert Hoitink, mr. Jack Swain, Mrs. Dieuwke Swain & Mr. Ronald Boer, Mrs. Helen Swain & Mr. Bernie Boudet, Mrs.Hélène Mercier & Mr. Rob Hoes, Mr. Henk Kaufman, Honourable Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends
You just witnessed the honourable presentation of posthumously awarded Mobilisatie oorlogskruis (= Mobilization War Cross Medal) to his granddaughter Dieuweke of the brave Fighter pilot of the former Royal Netherlands East- Indies Airforce, Sergeant Robert Christiaan HALBERSTADT.
There is a Dutch saying “Ere wie Ere toekomt” , meaning “HONOUR TO THE HONOREE” ladies en gentlemen.
By saying these words, in this ceremony, sergeant Halbertstadt is called back from the oblivion and honoured in the present.
Sgt. Halberstadt received today an honourable distinctive medal; on the backside of this medal, the words “Den Vaderlandt Getrouwe” (Faithful to Fatherland) is engraved; Robert Christian was true to this oath and gave his life to fulfill this oath; so he deserves our deepest respect.
On this special day Ladies and Gentlemen JUSTICE is done and…….an honorable position is once again obtained.
And that is,….. for each of you, as family, an important event.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It make sense today, to put our thoughts for a moment to all our militairy, including our allies, who became victims of the brutal and inhuman actions of the former Japanese occupiers of our beautiful islands, the former Netherlands East Indies.
Therefore, let our thoughts particularly linger today on your father, grandfather and fighter pilot of our Royal Militairy Airforce in the Indies., Robert Christiaan Halbertstadt, who died on the 3rd of Feb. 1942, during a fierce air battle; he, and together with his buddies, fought a courageous air-battle that day; unfortunenedly 3 of these young heroes lost their live , one of them was Robert. They lost their live under the blue sky, above the former Dutch naval base Soerabaja. Finally, some of them survived and were able to return to their Airbase.
That’s why, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to make a request to you, to remember together, all these innocent and brave men and women today………………May I ask you all to rise, plse
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And to be quiet for one minute and to remember all those who in the former Netherlands East Indies or elsewhere in South East Asia gave their live for our/their Fatherland.
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MAY GOD’S BLESSING REST ON ALL OFF THEM
thank you very much indeed”
