Royal Dutch Engineers, stationed in Curacao and Aruba. Maximiliaan Willem de Kat

Not sure of my grandfather's service number or regiment but have some information about his WWII service. Any help with service numbers in the Dutch Army??

Information obtained through the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ottawa. (translated)

de Kat, Maximiliaan Willem born 19 May 1907, Rogodjampi, Java

Registration number: 07.10.19.008 (first registered in 1927)

Service Book Army number: 558. This number appeared on his duffle bag.

Some time after August 1, 1940, Max conscripted to the Dutch Army in Canada and ordered to report for medical examination at the Prince of Wales Armouries in Edmonton, AB. Canada. Max had emigrated to Canada in 1928 but was still a Dutch citizen.

15 January 1941 Assigned to 1st Regiment of Engineers with the Dutch Troop in Canada and sent to training camp “Princess Juliana” in Stratford, ON Canada.

Left Canada before 12 March 1941 Via NYC, arrived in Curacao 22 March 1941 and assigned to the Netherlands Forces marine barracks “Suffisant”.

Transferred to coastal battery “Juana Morto” in Aruba 10 June 1941

Transferred to first contingent “Waterfort” in Curacao 30 July 1942

Left Curacao 4 September 1942 and arrived in Canada 28 September 1942. Traveled with Pieter Prins (from Belgium but also living in Canada), with whom he kept in contact after the war.

Assigned to “Prinses Juliana” Kazerne (barracks) in Guelph, ON, Canada. I believed he worked training medics here.

He was promoted to Corporal 9 April 1943. He was granted leave from 23 Sept to 1 October 1943.

 

Barbara,

Cannot help on the Dutch service records etc, we do have a few Dutch members - though their focus is usually liberation commemoration matters.

I do recall Aruba / Curacao have appeared here before regarding their strategic value due to the oil refineries and shipping product to the USA. If you use the forum's simple one-word search option - top right - that will identify the threads and then choose what might help.

You are lucky to have original records and a photo.

Good luck.

 

Barbara,

Probably you know this already

His Birth certificate (click on the picture under SCAN)
Registratie Maximiliaan Willem de Kat in 1913 te 's-Gravenhage

I guess your Father
https://searchprovincialarchives.alberta.ca/b-c-bert-de-kat-fonds

the grave of Maximiliaam Willem
https://nl.findagrave.com/memorial/80344975/maximilliaan-willem-de_kat

His mother Emma Jacoba Carolina Magdalena Mesker de Kat-Mesker was a war victim and buried at the Dutch field of Honor in Kalibanteng
Emma Jacoba Carolina Magdalena de Kat-Mesker (Lumadjang Tempeh, 19 juli 1881 - Banjoebiroe, kamp 10, 28 december 1944) - Oorlogsbronnen.nl

https://gw.geneanet.org/nholtmans?n=mesker&oc=&p=emma+jacoba+carolina+magdalena&type=fiche


Ok back to your question, i will get in touch with the Dutch Military historical archives (NIMH) i will let you know.

 

Amazing.
I have the first document and I didn't know the biography that my Dad wrote was in the Alberta Archives. I've been to Max's grave and also to his Mom's in the "War Victim" graveyard in Indonesia. My poor great-grandmother died so close to the end of the war. Visiting her grave was certainly a moving experience! I actually added her photos to the Kalibanteng website. We don't learn this part of history in North America.

No new info but I do appreciate how quickly you found what you did!!! My Dad got Max's service record from the Ministry of Defense but it doesn't say a regiment or company.... not that I can tell.... (I'd love to know more about his Mom being in the concentration camp, but that's another web site!!)

Thanks so much!!!!