A former Dutch army soldier who now lives and works in Bacup is to be honoured in Manchester on Monday at the Netherlands’ Consulate in Levenshulme, 24 years after he was involved in an extremely difficult peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. Mr Cor van der Hoevan, was injured during the mission and sent back to the Netherlands before making the UK his home.
He is now to be honoured with the Remembrance Medal Peace Operation ‘Lebanon 1979’ and the United Nations Medal UNIFIL, more than 2 decades after he served his country.
The presentation will take place on Monday at 11.30 am and Mr van der Hoeven and his family will be welcomed by the Netherlands Consul, Ian Perry Chief Executive of Harvest Housing Group, whose head office in Levenshulme is also the Dutch Consulate for the North West.
Colonel Martien Hermens, the Military Attaché, from the Royal Netherlands Embassy will present the medals on behalf of the Minister of Defence.