On 9 April, female and male naval airmen commemorated the Good Friday battle in Afghanistan with the 16K3 memorial march - because three German soldiers fell there exactly 16 years ago. The memorial march takes place annually and nationwide. The 16 kilometre march ran via the Spieka-Neufeld cutter harbour to the Kugelbake in Cuxhaven.

The memorial march commemorates the tragic event of 2 April 2010 in Afghanistan, which is now known as the Good Friday battle. Sergeant Major Nils Bruns, Corporal Robert Hartert and Corporal Martin Augustyniak, all from Paratrooper Battalion 373, were killed and many other comrades were wounded. The annual memorial march is intended to remember the fallen comrades. 16K3 is a symbolic code: This year, the 16 stands for the commemoration of the Good Friday battle 16 years ago, the K stands for Good Friday and the number 3 stands for the three fallen soldiers. Each year, the march distance is increased by the number of years since the battle.

In recent years, the K3 memorial march has continued to establish itself. What once began as an initiative within the troops is now a firm favourite among active soldiers, reservists and veterans, as well as in civilian society. Anyone can take part in the march. Around 21,000 people took part in the 15K3 march last year. Captain Carsten Holtgreve, Chief of Staff at the Naval Air Command, led the commemorative march for the fourth time. "Thanks to the great response and the participation of so many people throughout Germany, the K3 memorial march has managed to become an institution of remembrance culture within and outside the armed forces. Together with many others, we naval aviators have been sending out a clear signal here for years,“ said the
Naval officer.

Photos: German Navy / Julia Kelm