Second Lieutenant Sand

Second Lieutenant Sand is the main protagonist in the 2015 film, April 9th. He was a Royal Danish Army Second Lieutenant during the German Invasion of Denmark on April 9th 1940 during World War II, hence the name of the film. He was portrayed by Pilou Asbaek.
In the film, Sand is part of the 7th Regiment and is a second lieutenant of the 2nd Platoon, 4th Company with his superior being Lieutanant Gjermansen. They are placed on high alert on the previous day of April 8th, 1940. The German Wehrmacht is amassing on the German-Danish border and is in position to invade Denmark. The German Wehrmacht then invades Denmark at 4:00am from the south. The entire Platoon is alerted of the invasion and are ordered to move out towards Lundtoftbjerg to halt the German advance. Sand's company is to support the motorcycle Company commanded by Sergeant Bundgaard. But as Sand's Company cycles towards Lundtoftbjerg, they encounter Bundgaard who falls back north to take on a better defensive position. He implores Sand to convince Lieutanant Gjermansen to also fall back because the German armoured column they encountered is simply too overwhelming. Sand says that he will follow Gjermansen and does not try to convince him. 
They set an ambush for the advancing German armoured column but are overwhelmed and Sand's group composed of Lassen, Gram, Norreskov, Justesen, Kolding and Andersen. Seeing the hopelessness of the situation and the increasing desperation of his inexperienced troops, he orders his group to retreat. During the skirmish, Kolding is killed by machine gun fire of a German Panzer II. The rest of his Platoon along with Lieutenant Gjermansen and Sergeant Klostergaard are presumed either captured or surrendered. Sand is shaken by the encounter as they hide in a barn for a short moment to regroup. It was his first encounter, but he is still willing to fight on.
Sand's group meet up with their commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Hintz, and he tells Sand that there will be no reinforcements from Haderslev and Sonderborg (2nd Regiment). His group is then ordered to move towards Haderslev and join the garrison there. Along the way, they meet Sergeant Bundgaard who took on position in a small village. The villagers are not aware of the situation and are in the midst of the cross fire as the German column arrives in the village. A boy called Frederik is shot. They immediately retreat as a German Panzer II breaks through the defences.
At Haderslev he is ordered by a superior officer to improvise a defence along a side street, but surrenders after a short fight when Justesen is wounded and his soldiers are nearly out of Ammo. Then, Sand and his squad along with the rest of the Danish soldiers at Haderslev surrender. Justesen dies of blood loss shortly after. He is asked by a German Lieutenant Becker why they continued to fight so ferviously. Not understanding the question, Becker tells him that the Danish Government already surrendered a few hours ago and that this bloodshed not necessary. Sand, as well as Becker, who thought that Sand knew of the capitulation, is visibly shocked by this revelation. Sand and the rest of his company are ordered back to barracks and are supervised by Becker. He offers Sand to drive together with him in his car back to the barracks, but Sand refuses and travels with his unit back to the Barracks.
Category:War Heroes
Category:Protectors
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Fighters
Category:Freedom Fighters