Military Owls: Netherlands

Emblem used by

701st, 501st, & 961st Squadrons,

Netherlands Royal Air Force

Emblem Heraldic Description (NMM): In azure the head of an owl with wide eyes, in natural colour, surrounded by the fixed frame, with on the oval plate the number '501' in sable Arabic numerals and on the gold ribbon the emblem spell ' ATTACKING BY DAY AND NIGHT', in Dutch, in Latin letters of sable.

Latin motto: Impellens die et nocte

Dutch: Aanvallend Bij Dag en Nacht

Symbolic Meaning: As defined by 701 Squadron: The azure representing the dark of night, being the condition under which the squadron will be primarily employed in its wartime all-weather air defense mission. The owl's wide-open eyes, shown with large pupils, symbolize the vigilance of 701 Squadron.

The 501st was a Guidance Weapons Squadron that existed from 19-06-1967 to 01-07-1995. Part of the 5GGW of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, it was created from the 701st, and merged with the 327 Squadron on 1 July 1995 as the new 804 TRIAD Sqn at De Peel Air Base (NIMH).

They were stationed in Winzlar, Germany, on the Haarberg with a magnificent view of the Steinhuder Meer (lake).

More can be found in the annal 25 years of 501 Squadron by J. Van Leeuwen (in Dutch only) or Jubilee book on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the 501 squadron / compiled by J. van Leeuwen and AM Musters.

Some photos of these texts are available here: Fotoalbums van de grondgebondenluchtverdediging