Date of birth:

August 28th, 1925 (Breda/North Brabant, Netherlands)

Date of death:

June 21st, 1949 (Garut/Java, Dutch Indies)

Buried on:

Dutch War Cemetery Menteng Pulo
Grave: IV/57/7DD.

Nationality:

Dutch

Dpl.Huz.Ekl. 2-1 RH Boreel

Henk was born on 28 August 1925 in Breda. Until he started his military service, he worked there as a plumber. In 1946, he was conscripted into the Royal Netherlands Army in Amersfoort, where he was assigned to the Van Boreel regiment of the Royal Hussars. Due to the outbreak of revolutionary violence during the Indonesian struggle for independence, Henk was sent to the Dutch East Indies to help restore peace and Dutch authority. After three months of training, he left for the East in January 1947 on the Tegelberg, where he landed at Batavia after a sea voyage of more than a month.

In the first few weeks, the squadron is stationed at the Prins Willem III school in Batavia, from where it is deployed for guard duty. During the First Police Action from 21 July to 4 August 1947, Henk and his unit move from Soekaboemi to Oebroeg, where they manage to capture the power station undamaged. The squadron was then transferred via Tjiandjoer and Soemedang to Kadipaten. After the Action, the squadron marched through the mountains to Garoet and was stationed in nearby Tarogong.

Henk's unit's main task here was to keep the convoy routes open, in particular the notorious Tasikmalaja-Garut route, which was frequently attacked by infiltrators. Almost every day, the hussars had to “clear” the road here. In addition, intensive patrols were carried out in the surrounding area.

The hussars did not actively participate in the Second Police Action at the turn of 1948-1949, but they had their hands full with their own patrol duties. In the area, the hussars not only had to deal with the revolutionary army, but also with the Islamic militant group Daroel Islam.

In the spring of 1949, Henk was seriously wounded by enemy fire while on patrol in the interior around Garoet. He was taken to the military hospital in Garoet, but the medical assistance provided was in vain. Henk succumbed to his injuries on 21 June 1949. He was 23 years old and was laid to rest at the Dutch military cemetery Menteng Pulo in Jakarta.

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• Photo 1: Brabantse Gesneuvelden / M. van der Kerkhof
• Photo 2: Oorlogsgravenstichting
• - Bredasche Courant 17-03-1950.
  - Henricus Johannes van der Sanden | Oorlogsgravenstichting
  - Henk van der Sanden | Brabantse Gesneuvelden
  - Ereteken voor Orde en Vrede | Bredasche Courant 17-03-1950
  

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