Soldiers who come to deliver an army car with a Chinook helicopter. Red Berets patrolling the Market. It is all part of a defense exercise in and around the city center of Den Bosch. “We want to practice among the population, just like on real missions,” Major Jelmar den Boer explains.
The Red Berets, the elite troops of the army, supply soldiers behind enemy lines. They use helicopters to deliver ammunition, army vehicles and pallets of food and drink to the troops. Normally they practice for this in their barracks in Schaarsbergen or in the woods, but this week they are doing that in the middle of the city center of Den Bosch.
Major Den Boer: “We train for missions in Iraq, Afghanistan or Mali, for example. There the Red Berets work together with the local population. To practice as realistically as possible, they now also do that right in the center between the residents and visitors of the city.”
“In this way we want to show what we do.”
The exercise started at six o’clock on Monday morning. Among other things, the elite troops had to transport supplies by boat over De Dieze and abseil from Sint-Jan. “We train very differently in the city than in a forest, so the troops didn’t know what to expect beforehand. Of course they don’t know that during a real mission.”
Many bystanders watched the Red Berets practice. One person even got involved. “I was arrested by the military,” says Gerard from Den Bosch with a laugh. “When I drove my car downtown, I had to get out and open all the doors. Then they asked if they could check my car.”
“The weapons remind me of my military service.”
The most spectacular exercise was on Wednesday at the Pettelaarse Schans. Armed soldiers delivered a pallet of supplies and an army car with a Chinook.
“People often see us driving or practicing, but it is quite difficult to get in touch with us,” says Major Den Boer. “In this way we want to show what we do and talk to people about our work.”
That worked, because dozens of people from Den Bosch came to the exercise with the Chinooks. “I occasionally hear those helicopters flying over my house in Rosmalen. The past few days too, so I now want to take a closer look at them,” says Corrie.
Residents of Den Bosch could also take a look at the various tanks, supply vehicles and weapons. “I was a sniper, so now that I have such a gun in my hands, I have to think back to my military service,” says visitor Leo enthusiastically after taking a photo with one of the weapons.
