A rare Second World War B.E.M. awarded to Chief Petty Officer Gerrit Weeda, Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.P.O. Gerrit Weeda, R.N.N.A.S.) good very fine £400-500

Chief Petty Officer Gerrit Weeda, was a Dutch national serving with the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service. In 1940 he avoided capture by the invading German forces, and escaped with his comrades in the R.N.N.A.S. to the United Kingdom - to resume the armed struggle towards the liberation of their homeland and Europe.

The trained crews of the R.N.N.A.S. were formed into No. 320 (Netherlands) Squadron Royal Air Force, and subsequently deployed as an active service squadron with Coastal Command.

The award of the B.E.M. is confirmed in an officially published Netherlands authority dated 28 February 1941. In addition to the B.E.M., Weeda was also (26 August 1941) decorated by the Dutch Government in Exile with the award of the Silver medal of the Order of Orange Nassau.

Netherlands personnel that served with 320 Squadron generally qualified for the following medals for their services during the Second World War:- Netherlands War Commemorative Cross with clasp(s) together with appropriate U.K. campaign stars and medals. Additionally Gerrit Weeda would likely have also qualified for a Netherlands Naval Long Service Medal. With copied notes.