Date of birth:

May 27th, 1928 (Oosterhout/North Brabant, Netherlands)

Date of death:

August 25th, 1949 (Patjet/Java, Dutch Indies)

Buried on:

Dutch War Cemetery Kembang Kuning
Plot: B . Grave: 315.

Nationality:

Dutch

Sld. 423 Inf

Martinus was born on 27 May 1928 in Oosterhout and lived in Hooge and Lage Zwaluwe. Called up for military service, he reported for duty at the end of 1948 to the Royal Netherlands Army in Bergen op Zoom, where the 6-5 Infantry Regiment was formed on 1 January 1949. Due to the outbreak of revolutionary violence in the Indonesian struggle for independence, Martinus was sent to the Dutch East Indies to help restore peace and Dutch authority. After a month and a half of training, he left on 16 February on the Waterman for the East, where he landed in Surabaya less than a month later. There, the battalion is deployed as the 423 Infantry Battalion at various posts in East Java.

From April onwards, the battalion is active in Bodjonegoro, where Martinus has a difficult time. Supplies are severely hampered by numerous roadblocks, mines and shelling. Daily patrols were carried out to clear the area and secure the roads. At the end of July, the battalion was transferred to Modjokerto, where it took part in various operations in the surrounding area.

On 11 August, a ceasefire between the Netherlands and the Republic came into effect, but there were still regular shootings and disturbances. On 25 August 1949, Martinus was shot dead by a police officer in Patjet after threatening him with a hand grenade. It is not known what prompted Martinus to do this. He was 21 years old and was laid to rest at the Dutch military cemetery Kembang Kuning in Surabaya.

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• Photo 1: Oorlogsgravenstichting
• Photo 2: Oorlogsgravenstichting
• - Martinus Johannes Zijlmans | Oorlogsgravenstichting
  - Rinus Zijlmans | Brabantse Gesneuvelden
  

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