Jacobs, Theo Joan Anton

Date of birth:: February 9th, 1926 (Blaricum/Noord-Holland, the Netherlands)
Date of death:: April 7th, 2016 (Apeldoorn/Gelderland, the Netherlands)
Service number:: 260209000
Nationality:: Dutch

Biography

Theo Jacobs grew up in a family that went bankrupt during the Depression, after which his family moved to Nijmegen. At a young age, he worked at Willem Smit Transformers in Nijmegen and transported casualties after the deadly bombing of Nijmegen in 1944.
In July 1945, despite his young age, he enlisted as a war volunteer in the Dutch army (2-13 RI), even replacing his father's signature. After a period in England, he was deployed to the Dutch East Indies.
In the East Indies, he completed parachute training and was assigned to the 1st Parachute Company as a paramedic. On September 26, 1947, during a storm attack near Malang, he performed a courageous rescue operation: he ran 70 meters forward under heavy enemy fire, even across a destroyed bridge, to nurse a seriously wounded Bren gunner. For this heroic act, he was awarded the Bronze Cross on February 23, 1950. During the police actions, he participated in several airborne operations. He made his last parachute jump in January 1950.
After his military service, Jacobs returned to the Netherlands, where he held various jobs: machinist, window cleaner, warehouse manager, and more. He maintained strong ties with his paratrooper colleagues and attended many reunions. In his later years, he even made parachute jumps and bungee jumps.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Bronzen Kruis (BK)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Korporaal (Corporal)
Awarded on:: February 23rd, 1950

Citation:
"Distinguished himself by courageous conduct against the enemy on November 26, 1947, while assigned as a nurse, during a storm attack on the headquarters of a terrorist gang in Tūmpang (near MALANG, East Java). When the Bren gunner of the forward assault section was seriously wounded, he, upon receiving the first call for medical assistance, immediately and coolly rushed forward, despite the lack of cover from the heavy enemy automatic and rifle fire, covering a distance of approximately seventy meters. This action also involved crossing a destroyed bridge and immediately providing medical aid and bandaging to the seriously wounded man on the spot.
This action demonstrated not only fearlessness but also a high sense of duty and self-sacrifice."

RD 23-02-1950 No. 43