Date of birth:

November 2nd, 1924 (Monster/Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands)

Date of death:

August 2nd, 1943 (Hanau/Hesse, Germany)

Buried on:

Dutch War Grave Dutch Reformed Cemetery Ter Heijde

Nationality:

Dutch

Koene came from a fishing family, with his father working as a fisherman from a young age. His father’s fishing vessel was torpedoed by the Royal Navy in 1915, leading to the crew’s internment. After being released in 1918, Koene’s father transitioned to farming near Slaperdijk, leasing land from the wealthy Hartman family.

Jacob Koene grew up in Ter Heijde, witnessing the transformation of the village in 1929-1930, when old houses were replaced with modern homes featuring running water and improved sanitation. His life took a drastic turn with the German invasion in 1940, which disrupted the peaceful village life.

Koene, then working as agriculture worker, was captured by the Germans, though the exact circumstances of his capture remain unclear. His fate was sealed in 1943, when he tragically lost his life at just 18 years old. There are two versions of his cause of death: killed by a bombardment or by drowning.

It was his father's wish that he would be reburied in the cemetery of Ter Heijde. This happened on 2 August 1951, exactly eight years after his death. In December 2013 his name was added to the register of the War Graves Foundation.

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• Photo 1: Oorlogsgravenstichting
• - Geschiedenis van Monster: Jacob Koene

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