The former Mayor of Bad Fallingbostel, Herr Arnold Richter and the former Federal Commissioner for Osterheide (Oerbke), Herr Hinrich Baumann, have been awarded with Honorary MBEs in recognition of their support to Fallingbostel Station and the 7th Armoured Brigade. The ceremony took place in Fallingbostel Station Officers’ Mess on January 23 and was hosted by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Berlin, his Excellency Sir Michael Arthur.

In his commendation speech, Sir Michael described how both men had gone above and beyond the call of duty in their services to the station: “They have each been kind and caring hosts of families left behind during operations and have also taken the trouble to visit ‘their’ units in operational theatres”.

In his emotional acceptance speech, Herr Baumann, who has helped to fund a memorial to British Soldiers lost in both Gulf Wars and forged a partnership between Oerbke and 16 Tank Transporter Squadron said “I hope that the strong German-British relations will continue and that the Oerbke/Fallingbostel Station partnership will carry on existing for many more years to come”.