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{{Use British English|date=February 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = William A. S. Ouderland
| honorific_suffix = [[Bir Protik]]
| image = A. S. Ouderland.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name = William A. S. Ouderland
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1917|12|06|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|05|18|1917|12|06|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Perth, Western Australia]]
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| allegiance =
| branch =
| serviceyears =
| rank =
| servicenumber = 
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = {{unbulleted list| [[World War II]] | [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]}}
| battles_label =
| awards = [[Bir Protik]]
| memorials =
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| laterwork =
| signature =
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'''William A. S. Ouderland''' (6 December 1917 – 18 May 2001) was a Dutch-Australian commando officer. He actively took part in [[World War II]] and the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]. Later, he was awarded the fourth highest gallantry award, the [[Bir Protik]], by the [[Government of Bangladesh]]. He is the only foreigner to receive this gallantry award.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=208288 |title=Commonwealth summit opens in Perth today |date=28 October 2011 |work=The Daily Star|location=Bangladesh |accessdate=1 November 2022}}</ref><ref name="Jonojuddho">{{cite book
| last =Bhuiyan | first =Kamrul Hasan | title =জনযুদ্ধের গণযোদ্ধা (Jonojuddher Gonojoddha) | publisher =Ramon Publishers | date =February 1999 | location =Dhaka | pages =60–63 }}</ref>

==Early life==
Ouderland was born in [[Amsterdam]] on 6 December 1917. He left his studies when he was 17 to work as a shoe-shiner and later joined [[Bata Shoes|Bata Shoe Company]]. In 1936, Ouderland enlisted in the Dutch National Service before the [[Battle of the Netherlands|Nazi invasion in Netherlands]]. Later, he became a sergeant of the Royal Signal Corps and his team had 36 members. Following the invasion of Germany in Netherlands, France and Belgium, Ouderland was arrested. He escaped from prison and trained soldiers who came back from Germany in 1941. Ouderland was fluent in German and Dutch and started working as a spy for the Dutch Underground Resistance Movement.<ref name="Jonojuddho"/>

==Bangladesh Liberation War==
Ouderland came to [[Dhaka]] in 1970 as the Production Manager of the Bata Shoe Company. During the earlier half of 1971, Ouderland was appointed as the executive director of the company in [[Tongi]], Dhaka. On 25 March 1971, rising political discontent and [[Nationalism#Cultural nationalism|cultural nationalism]] in [[East Pakistan]] was met by suppressive force from the ruling elite of the West Pakistan establishment<ref name= rule>[http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/21.htm Emerging Discontent, 1966–70. Country Studies Bangladesh]</ref> in what came to be termed [[Operation Searchlight]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Bose |first=Sarmila |date=8 October 2005 |title=Anatomy of Violence: Analysis of Civil War in East Pakistan in 1971 |url=http://www.epw.org.in/showArticles.php?root=2005&leaf=10&filename=9223&filetype=html |journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301084941/http://www.epw.org.in/showArticles.php?root=2005&leaf=10&filename=9223&filetype=html |archive-date=1 March 2022}}''</ref> He was moved by the killings of the [[Pakistan Army]] on [[Operation Searchlight|25 March]] and took photos which he sent to the international media.<ref name="Jonojuddho"/> A war between the West Pakistan Army and guerrilla force, the [[Mukti Bahini]], started immediately.<ref>Pakistan Defence Journal, 1977, Vol 2, p2-3</ref>

Guerilla operations, which slacked during the training phase, picked up after August. Economic and military targets in Dhaka were attacked. Ouderland organised the guerrilla warfare in [[Dhaka]]. He built a friendly relationship with 22nd [[Baloch Regiment]] captain Sultan Newaz and penetrated into Dhaka cantonment. Subsequently, he created close relation with [[Governor-general|Governor General]] [[Tikka Khan]] and Adviser Civil Affairs Major General [[Rao Farman Ali|Rao Forman Ali]]. He became a "Distinguished Friend" of [[A. A. K. Niazi]] at the headquarters of Eastern Command and managed a security pass to contact with them frequently. Besides Ouderland continued gathering information for the Mukti Bahini and sent it to Major [[ATM Haider]] of [[List of Sectors in Bangladesh Liberation War|Sector-2]].<ref name="Jonojuddho"/>

From his office at the Bata Shoe Company, Ouderland organised and trained the guerrilla fighters of Mukti Bahini. He planned and directed a number of guerrilla operations in Dhaka and nearby areas. He provided the fighters with food and medicine and often gave them shelter.<ref name="Jonojuddho"/>

==Awards==
Ouderland was awarded the [[Bir Protik]], the fourth highest gallantry award of Bangladesh. In 1998, he was invited by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, to receive the award and certificate but was unable to attend due to illness.<ref name="Jonojuddho"/>

==Later career==
Ouderland retired from Bata Shoe Company in 1978 and returned to Australia.<ref name="Jonojuddho"/> On 18 May 2001, he died there at a hospital in [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.banglaweb.com/ouderland/ Ouderland – story of a freedom fighter, A memorial site]

{{Bangladesh liberation}}
{{1971 Indo-Pak War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ouderland, William AS}}
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:Resistance members from Amsterdam]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Amsterdam]]
[[Category:People of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Bir Protik]]
[[Category:Mukti Bahini personnel]]

William A. S. Ouderland - Revision history

Bot at 21:05, 4 August 2022

Bot at 21:05, 4 August 2022