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Jansen, Hermanus Henricus

Date of birth:
May 15th, 1921 (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
Date of death:
December 31st, 1948 (Patjet, NOI)
Buried on:
Dutch War Cemetery Kembang Kuning
Plot: B. Grave: 127.
Nationality:
Dutch (1815-present, Kingdom)

Biography

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Period:
Indonesian War of Independence (1945-1949)
Rank:
Soldaat-oorlogsvrijwilliger
Unit:
1e Compagnie, 2e Bataljon, 10e Regiment Infanterie, Koninklijk Nederlandsch-Indisch Leger (KNIL)
Awarded on:
August 24th, 1950
Recommendation:
He has distinguished himself by performing exceptionally courageous and tactful deeds in the face of the enemy on December 31, 1948 when the military post at Patjet on eastern Java had been surrounded by overwhelming guerilla gangs.
In particular when since early morning numerous attacks on this post had been repelled and the post commander had decided in the afternoon to have two soldiers make an attempt at breakthrough by jeep, as no help was forthcoming and the situation became untenable, especially owing to a shortage of ammunition. Jansen and another soldier immediately volunteered for this task and fetch the badly needed reinforcements from Modjosari, maintaining his offer after the hazards of the situation and the great risk involved had been made clear to him.
He and the other soldier subsequently raced in their jeep straight through the enemy lines at the highest speed possible; towards midnight however, when the commander and the relieving troops had arrived at the post entirely on their own accord, it turned out that on the road between Modjosari and Patjet an abandoned jeep had been encountered while the next day, his remains and those of his companion, mutilated by klewangs, were discovered near the kampong of Kambangsuri-Lor.

Royal decree no. 6
Bronzen Leeuw (BL)

Sources

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