CEREMONY FOR JEROEN HOUWELING AND MARC HARDERS (Afghanistan, 2010)

In April, 2010, Dutch Marine Corporal Jeroen Houweling and Marine Marc Harders were killed when their Viking tracked armoured personnel carrier was the victim of a roadside explosive device in the Deh Reshan region of Afghanistan. The flags were lowered to half-mast in Camp Holland in Tarin Kowt, and their colleagues bid them farewell as their bodies passed through the traditional double rank honour guard before being flown back to The Netherlands. This honour guard, which began in the deployment zone and ended by the next of kin, symbolically accompanied and protected the fallen on their final journey.