I stumbled upon this awesome tool, StoryMap, to map journeys. It enabled me to take the research I have collected about my grandfather and present it in a sharable format.
The war in the Dutch East Indies was officially underway in early 1942. My grandfather, Johannes Hubertus Theodorus Gerardu (Opa) was a Sergeant in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (ML-KNIL). He was in charge of the kitchen at his base. My father, Servaas, (age 14), remembers Pappy (his father) stopping by the house to tell the family that his unit was moving inland toward Bandoeng (now Bandung). Below is the geographical story of his time as a POW during the Japanese occupation. He was a POW for three and a half very long years.
You can make your own free map at https://storymap.knightlab.com/.
Direct link to StoryMap story.
My Dear DAD(RIP-1987 in The HAGUE)Married in 1941 in BATAVIA-and he became PRISONER of the JAPANESE to BUILD the BIRMA-RAIWAYS=with many THOUSANDS other MEN=DUTCH or INDO-DUTCH & etc.etc.)!!!=1941-1946}Attention=2 years ago in RUMAH KITA/WAGENINGEN has died Mr.HARRY WYLER and he also was PRISONER in BIRMA!My QUESTION=IS it POSSIBLE that thes 2 NAMES will be WRITTEN in the STONES of the MEMORIAL STATUE in the GARDEN of BRONBEEK/ARNHEM….?(My DAD is BUURIED in 1987 in “BEGRAAFPLAATS EIK & DUINEN-The HAGUE)BUT ONE DAY(=Soon all these GRAVES will be REMOVED and WHERE I CAN GO to MEMORIAL My Dad and Mr.HARRY WYLER too….?Tnx for your ATTENTION….
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Unfortunately, I don’t know much about those memorials or cemeteries in the Netherlands. I didn’t know that they remove graves.
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My dads story is similar to yours. He joined the KNIL 1938. Was transported from Netherlands to Java 1938. As a Sergeant, he was captured in Bandeung by the Japanese 1942-1945, and also worked on the “Death Railway “. Mom found him at the American Red Cross after the allies brought him to Bandeung. He was emaciated, had Malaria but alive. They returned to the Netherlands 1950, where he transferred to the Royal Dutch Army, flew to the USA 1957. He’s buried in California.
I’m sorry to hear that they remove graves of those who fought for freedom. Where do they relocate them to?
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