On 5 December, WWII veteran Tom Schaffer was presented with the Dutch Liberation Medal at the Taxi Charity's annual Christmas lunch.
The medal was presented to Tom by Lieutenant Colonel Rob Arts, Military and Air Attaché and Deputy Defence Attaché, from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Lieutenant Colonel Arts said: "It is such a privilege representing my country at this Taxi Charity event and presenting our liberation medal to Mr Tom Schaffer. I am really humbled, also by the enormous number of letters sent by Dutch children, illustrating the Dutch gratitude and respect for our World War II liberators will continue big time."
Tom Schaffer said: "It is a real honour to have been presented with the Dutch Liberation Medal by the Dutch Military Attaché, surrounded by so many friends. Next May, I will be travelling to the Netherlands with the Taxi Charity to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Dutch Liberation and I will wear this medal with immense pride."
Tom was also presented with some of the four hundred Christmas cards that had been sent to the Taxi Charity to distribute to WWII veterans from Dutch school children.
The Dutch Liberation Medal is presented as a token of gratitude from the people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to those men and women who contributed to the liberation of the Netherlands during WWII.
