Ronda-based legionnaires honoured for their work during Valencia's deadly 'Dana' flooding disaster

The Alejandro Farnesio 4th Tercio infantry unit of the Spanish Legion has been decorated for its work in the 'Dana' flooding disaster that particularly hit the Valencia region of Spain last autumn. The Operación Inundaciones medal commemorates the unit's efforts in recovery and clean-up following this severe weather event. This medal has been awarded to 50 legionnaires from the unit based at Ronda on behalf of their comrades.

Spain's Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, accompanied by the Spanish Army's Chief of Staff, insisted that "each and every one of the members of the armed forces are exceptional, they make Spain a great country and are always at the disposal of the people."

This is what she declared at the award ceremony for this special medal, which also included male and female representatives for the legionnaires who "were there from the first moment to help in the tragedy, being a support and refuge for those who needed support."

For those who stepped up and travelled to go and help on the ground where the aid was most needed, "it has given us great satisfaction to have been there, to have helped and contributed with our input", said General Carreras, head of the Legion's 2nd Brigade Rey Alfonso XIII.

More than 2,500 legionnaires were involved in the aftermath of the 'Dana', with 13 turnarounds of clearing-up duties in Valencia. They were based mainly in the badly-hit town of Paiporta, where they carried out cleaning tasks in garages and public car parks whilst not forgetting the important social work that came with all that. In one such case, the legionnaires kept company with and cared for an elderly woman in her nineties as she coped with the consequences of social isolation at home, even nicknaming her their "second grandmother".

"Being able to help people, as you do, and as others are doing now in the fight against the wildfires, always with professionalism, but without neglecting the human element, is something that makes us all proud," stated the minister, who did not fail to stress that "that is why the armed forces are the most highly valued institution in our country."

The 4th Tercio Alejandro Farnesio unit is located in Ronda, in the 2nd barracks of the Legion's brigade to which it belongs, forming one of the brigade's fundamental elements of infantry-based manoeuvres.

This brigade is the largest in the Legion and its more than 2,000 male and female legionnaires are highly trained to participate in international peacekeeping and permanent missions, as well as in operations to support the population in natural disasters, fires and floods, as happened in Valencia.