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Introduction

Following the end of the Cold War, the Dutch Marine Corps reoriented itself from its role on NATO’s Northern flank (as described in the 1978 post) to a more expeditionary role in both a humanitarian and peacekeeping context.



This included the 1991 Operation “Safe Haven” (also known as Provide Comfort) in Northern Iraq and Turkey, the 1992-93 UN missions UNAMIC and UNTAC in Cambodia, a 1994 UN mission in Rwanda, the 1995-96 UN mission UNMIH in Haiti, and the (then-ongoing) UN operation in former Yugoslavia.



The 1990s saw a transition in terms of equipment as well, with the Browning High Power being replaced by the Glock 17, and the FN FAL being replaced by the Diemaco.



Prologue

As a source for this post, the Handboek voor de Marinier dated to the 7th of May, 1996. The post is further supported by the 2002 version of the Handboek, published in October of 2002 and replacing the former. As a secondary source, Over Grenzen: Het Korps Mariniers na de val van de Muur, 1989-2015 by Arthur ten Cate, Sven Maaskant, Jaus Müller, and Quirijn van der Vegt is used. (The title translates to “Beyond Borders: The Marine Corps after the fall of the [Berlin] Wall, 1989-2015”)



The 1996 handbook provides us with the following structure for the platoon:



















Dutch English Literal translation enkel colonne single file colonne (staggered) file file A formatie arrowhead “A” formation A formative met mag in het midden spearhead “A” formation with MAG in the centre ruit formatie diamond linie extended line line

Glock 17 C7A1 LOAW MAG AT-4 Calibre 9×19mm 5.56×45mm 5.56×45mm 7.62×51mm 84mm Empty weight* 620g 3.23kg 5.24kg 10.5kg 4.9kg**** Loaded weight* 870g 4.4kg 6.59kg -** 6.7kg Length 203mm 1000mm 1000mm 1370mm 1010mm Barrel length 114mm 530mm 530mm *** Capacity 17 30 30 230** Single-shot

Calibre 60 mm 2.36 in Barrel length 65 cm 25.6 in Total length 68 cm 26.8 in Total weight 7.7 kg 17 lbs Firing mechanism Fixed firing pin Aiming by means of direction By means of the painted white line Aiming by means of elevation From min. 35 to max. 85 by means of the commando sight and sling Transport By means of the carrying sling or a special case Maximum range 1050 m HE

1150 m illumination 1148 yds HE

1257 yds illumination Minimum range 100 m 109 yds Rate of fire The barrel is designed for 20 shots per minute

limited 20 shots per minute

unlimited 15 shots per minute Types of ammunition HE

WP

Illumination

Practice

nr. 20/20C1 nr. 17 nr. 7C2 nr. 22 nr. 23 Weight (g) 360 475 660 495 500 Delay (sec) 3-4 3-4 1-3 4-5 3-4 Kill radius (m) 10 - - - - Casualty radius (m) 20 - - - - Burn time (sec) - - 50 70-110 -

Role 1978 1996 Platoon Platoon commander Uzi Nr. 7 Diemaco C7A1 Platoon sergeant Uzi Nr. 7 Diemaco C7A1 Messenger Browning High-Power Glock 17 Platoon aid man Not present Glock 17 60mm mortar gunner Browning High-Power + 60mm mortar Glock 17 + 60mm mortar 60mm mortar assistant gunner Browning High-Power Glock 17 Carl Gustav gunner Browning High-Power + CG M2 Not present, CG replaced by the AT-4 Carl Gustav assistant [gunner] Browning High-Power Rifle squads (×3) Squad leader Uzi Nr. 7 Diemaco C7A1 Automatic rifleman FN FALO Diemaco LOAW Assistant automatic rifleman FN FAL Diemaco C7A1 Automatic rifleman FN FALO Diemaco LOAW Assistant automatic rifleman FN FAL Diemaco C7A1 Machine gunner FN FAL + MAG Diemaco C7A1 + MAG Assistant machine gunner FN FAL Diemaco C7A1 Rifleman FN FAL Not present Assistant squad leader FN FAL Diemaco C7A1