793:
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300:
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33:
601:
by Your
Majesty. For us, this name is not only linked to that of the greatest admiral of the Netherlands, but also to the previous cruiser of that name, which rests in the Java Sea. On one hand, this means that the great tradition and the honour of serving on board a ship with that name will
602:
continue. On the other hand, there is the inspiring example of true heroism, shown by our contemporaries in the service of their country. (...) we will give our best efforts to this beautiful new ship, guided by one inspiring thought to make it, with God's blessing, the pride of your fleet."
546:
in 1949 about the transfer of sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies. He stayed in
Australia for a number of months for the Royal Netherlands Navy. On 1 August 1952 he was promoted to captain and sent back to The Hague. He was involved with the construction of the two new
934:
638:, Minister of War, was of the opinion that the comments were regrettable because they could be interpreted as a judgement of the government's policy, even though they were not intended as such.
634:. Willem Jan maintained that his words were taken out of context. The Navy Information Service subsequently announced that Willem Jan's statements were not intended as criticism. Nevertheless,
444:
On
January 8, 1943, during maintenance work, one of the ship's torpedoes exploded, blowing a hole in the deck. Four Australian technicians and two crew members required treatment in hospital.
261:, where he was a member of the senate in 1925. One of his passions was ocean sailing. On August 16, 1927, he was appointed midshipman and on August 16, 1929, he became sub lieutenant.
737:
as aircraft control ships and warning stations against enemy aircraft, which was introduced in the battle against Japan. He was involved with the introduction of the
British
268:. She was a daughter of Navy Officer Anton Frederik Lodewijk Troll (1875–1936) and Gesina Sara Hoek (1883–1956). From 1935 to 1938, Willem Jan was artillery officer aboard
1105:
Wij spraken met: Vice-adm. b.d. W. J. Kruys, plo. directeur-generaal
Rijksluchtvaartdienst. Het Vaderland, staat en letterkundig nieuwsblad, 28 November 1960 (In Dutch).
733:
During his Navy career, Willem Jan had been involved with Navy aviation services on a regular basis. During WWII he worked with the United States to use radar-equipped
668:, chairman of the Mars & Mercurius Officers Association, chairman and honorary member of the Royal Netherlands Navy Yacht Club, co-founder and board member of the
1170:
1175:
614:
from the Royal Navy to the Dutch Naval
Aviation Service at Naval Air Station Valkenburg (1957). Source: Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie (NIMH).
241:. Willem Jan spent his childhood in the Dutch East Indies. In 1920 the family returned to the Netherlands. Willem Jan finished his high school education in
792:
714:
726:
Willem Jan retired from the Royal
Netherlands Navy on September 16, 1960 and became deputy director-general of the National Aviation Authority (Dutch:
1180:
1012:
De indienststelling van de bij Wilton-Fijenoord gebouwde kruiser ‘de Ruyter’. Schip en Werf. 20e
Jaargang (No. 25), 4 December 1953 (In Dutch).
618:
In August 1955 Willem Jan was appointed interim rear admiral. In June 1956 the newspapers reported that he had criticised former Prime
Minister
337:
launched on 25 June 1941 and transferred to the Royal
Netherlands Navy in May 1942. The ship was named after the 17th century Dutch admiral,
759:, the development of other airports in the Netherlands and the training of commercial pilots. On 18 April 1963 Willem Jan took receipt of
543:
138:
641:
On September 4, 1956, Willem Jan became rear admiral. His promotion to vice admiral followed on September 4, 1958, making him the third
654:
922:
683:
His Royal Netherlands Navy uniform (pattern 1959), including cap and vice admiral's monkey jacket, is part of the collection of the
606:
1160:
646:
143:
1069:
287:. Willem Jan was promoted to lieutenant commander on August 15, 1938, and subsequently posted to the Department of the Navy in
269:
414:
of Japanese bombers from Timor. Willem Jan manoeuvred his ship successfully to avoid the bombs, but was forced to dump the
796:
Her Majesty Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Captain W. J. Kruys with Officers and crew at the commissioning of HNLMS
548:
910:
558:
312:
218:
657:
on 15 November 1960, for his skilful leadership with regards to the contribution of the Royal Netherlands Navy within
1021:
Nog geen nieuw kabinet. Geen akkoord tussen dr. Drees en ir. Staf. Nieuw Utrechtsch dagblad, 29 juni 1956 (In Dutch).
348:, Willem Jan actively participated in the fight against the enemy, initially escorting military convoy ships in the
323:, among others, in charge of the Dutch Admiralty's relocation to the United Kingdom. He was initially stationed in
1123:
1030:
Kritiek op kabinetsformateur. Vragen over verklaring van schout-bij-nacht. De Volkskrant, 3 juli 1956 (In Dutch).
976:
673:
534:
in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (right). Captain W. J. Kruys on the left (1953)
157:
755:
In 1962 he became director-general of the National Aviation Authority and was involved with the expansion of
958:
Legion of Merit. Award by Mr Roosevelt. Dutch recipient in W.A.. The West Australian, Sat 18 September 1943.
695:
M3 automatic handgun (1933) is on display in the military museum in Driebergen-Rijsenburg, the Netherlands.
334:
1000:
552:
515:
418:
to prevent that a hit or near miss on the stern would detonate the charges and damage or sink the ship.
361:
166:
885:
Inventaris van de archieven van het Ministerie van Defensie te Londen . Nationaalarchief.nl (in Dutch).
785:
Willem Jan and his wife Anna Troll had a daughter, two sons and five grandchildren. Willem Jan died in
756:
587:
403:
650:
483:
473:, a troop convoy escort between Fremantle, Sydney and Melbourne. This convoy carried the Australian
727:
684:
474:
328:
742:
665:
626:, because Drees was said to be in favour of reducing naval expenditure. Drees’ government was in
226:
211:
152:
872:
698:
988:
935:
Destroyers Van Galen and Tjerk Hiddes played a key role in WWII Timor operations from Australia
766:
on behalf of the aviation authority. On 24 February 1969 he approved certification for the new
745:
669:
572:
564:
254:
179:
94:
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884:
856:
767:
499:
453:
338:
210:. His mother, Judith Elizabeth de Bruyne (1883–1937), was a daughter of Navy Officer captain
214:. His brother Gerhardus Kruys (1907–1982) was also a captain in the Royal Netherlands Navy.
627:
465:
395:
353:
8:
749:
597:"We now have the privilege of serving again on board a new cruiser, which has been named
411:
379:. Dutch and Australian soldiers and civilians were trapped behind enemy lines during the
284:
610:
Rear admiral W.J. Kruys (right) during the transfer ceremony of the first Hawker FGA-50
677:
470:
459:
432:
384:
222:
206:). His father Gerhardus Kruys (1876–1955) worked for the ‘Batavian Oil Company' in the
913:. Rear Admiral C. V. Gordon, United States Naval Institute Proceedings, February 1960.
1165:
642:
611:
365:
207:
199:
63:
835:
1039:
Minister Staf: Vlagofficier ging buiten zijn boekje. Trouw, 6 Juli 1956 (In Dutch).
583:
578:
On November 18, 1953, Willem Jan became the first captain of the new cruiser HNLMS
507:
506:
crew received the Dutch Cross for Important Military Operations (also known as the
352:. In September, the ship joined allied forces allocated to support landings in the
147:
894:
738:
692:
495:
380:
280:
161:
114:
967:
Leden Bemanning "Tjerk Hiddes" onderscheiden. Trouw, 7 oktober 1950 (In Dutch).
925:. Graham Wilson. Journal of the Australian Naval Institute, January/March 1997.
511:
324:
320:
265:
183:
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fighter aircraft in the Netherlands. He contributed to the joint NATO project
375:
was sent on a mission to evacuate troops from the Japanese occupied island of
1154:
630:
at the time. Questions were asked in the lower house by Member of Parliament
426:
1135:
Australië verruimt rechten voor KLM. Het Parool, 17 oktober 1966 (In Dutch).
1057:
946:
722:
on behalf of the National Aviation Authority (Dutch: Rijksluchtvaartdienst).
782:
were allowed to fly to Sydney increased from 42 to 75. He retired in 1971.
760:
619:
415:
357:
349:
128:
118:
1144:
Vliegveld geopend in Noordoostpolder. Volkskrant, 17 juni 1967 (In Dutch).
718:
On 18 April 1963 director-general W. J. Kruys took receipt of weathership
702:
On November 18, 1953, W. J. Kruys became captain of the new cruiser HNLMS
770:. On one of his overseas trips he negotiated that the Australian airline
542:
and in 1948 he was promoted to commander. He was closely involved in the
488:
478:
299:
234:
526:
1114:
Marine krijgt straaljagers. Het Binnenhof, 14 februari 1957 (In Dutch).
631:
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in Rotterdam. The ship was commissioned in the presence of Her Majesty
258:
238:
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635:
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and later director-general of the Dutch National Aviation Authority (
823:
661:. This was the second time he received the US military decoration.
487:. The troops were recalled from Egypt by Australian Prime Minister
242:
847:
Minister Kruys. Algemeen Handelsblad, 12 December 1902 (In Dutch).
425:
made three nightly voyages to Timor and evacuated over a thousand
875:. Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie (NIMH) (in Dutch).
203:
67:
311:
In May 1940, at the beginning of World War II, as German forces
32:
775:
771:
539:
390:
327:
as liaison officer. On May 6, 1942, he became captain of HNLMS
316:
376:
195:
1048:
Legion of Merit. Het Binnenhof, 16 November 1960 (In Dutch).
393:
Bay and was damaged beyond repair by Japanese bombers. HMAS
1094:
Bijzondere schenking. Nieuwsbrief museum militaire traditie
658:
1126:
Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (In Dutch).
538:
In 1945 Willem Jan was appointed head of Navy training in
399:
was also discovered and sunk by Japanese torpedo bombers.
779:
672:
for war victims and member of the board of advice of the
307:
with Lieutenant Commander W. J. Kruys (front row, center)
516:
Order of the British Empire (Officer Military Decision)
436:
Shrapnel from the torpedo explosion on board the HNMLS
264:
On August 20, 1935, he married Anna Troll (1911–1998)
826:" (Blauwe Boekje), Nederland's Patriciaat (in Dutch).
778:
and London, and that the weekly number of passengers
774:
added Schiphol Airport to the existing link between
514:
of the United Kingdom decorated Willem Jan with the
383:. Several evacuation attempts had failed after HMAS
194:
Willem Jan Kruys was a member of a well-known Dutch
989:
Nederlandse Lichte-kruiser Hr. Ms. De Ruyter (1936)
622:during a speech at the launch of minesweeper HNLMS
491:, in response to the Japanese threat to Australia.
440:(1943). Source: Western Australian Maritime Museum
937:. Dutch Australian Cultural Centre, 16 July 2023.
1171:Royal Netherlands Navy personnel of World War II
1152:
977:Kruisers De Ruyter en De Zeven Provinciën (1953)
593:In his speech at the ceremony Willem Jan said:
1096:, 33e Jaargang, no.2, Augustus 2024 (In Dutch).
923:Timor Triumph. HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes at Timor-1942
257:as naval cadet at the Royal Naval Institute in
1084:. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
905:
903:
664:Willem Jan was co-founder and chairman of the
1124:Geen zee te hoog. De weerschepen en het KNMI.
427:Australian Forces, Dutch troops and civilians
229:(1884–1940). His great-great grandfather was
1176:Knights of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
1082:Royal Netherlands Navy uniform: pattern 1959
360:government. In October, the ship joined the
900:
818:
816:
814:
139:Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
867:
865:
225:(1838–1902), and a nephew of vice admiral
31:
233:(1767-1830), the first Mayor of the town
1181:Commanders of the Order of Orange-Nassau
859:. Vereniging Oud Vriezenveen (In Dutch).
811:
791:
713:
697:
605:
525:
431:
298:
1003:. Museum Militaire Traditie (in Dutch).
862:
544:Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference
144:Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau
1153:
991:. Peter Kimenai, Traces of War (2011).
949:Codenames, Operations of World War II.
857:Kleine biografie van schout Jan Kruijs
283:, and later escorting convoys in the
198:. He was born on January 13, 1906, in
649:, ambassador to the Netherlands Mr.
248:
676:. He was chief commissioner of Sea
421:On 9, 12 and 18 December 1942, the
275:, first stationed at the island of
13:
897:. Willem Jan Kruys RNN. Uboat.net.
709:
521:
14:
1192:
748:aircraft and the Satco automated
588:Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
463:and the Australian cruiser HMAS
315:, Willem Jan was transferred to
113:
1161:Royal Netherlands Navy admirals
1138:
1129:
1117:
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1042:
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1024:
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928:
294:
979:. Marineschepen.nl (in Dutch).
916:
888:
878:
850:
841:
829:
410:was spotted and attacked by a
158:Decoration for Order and Peace
16:Dutch vice admiral (1906–1985)
1:
1072:. Oprichtingsdocumenten 1944.
911:HNMS Tjerk Hiddes—Timor Ferry
804:
253:In 1924 Willem Jan began his
217:Willem Jan was a grandson of
189:
37:Vice admiral Willem Jan Kruys
1001:Expositie Koninklijke Marine
176:Willem Jan Kruys (1906–1985)
7:
1060:. Scoutpedia.nl (In Dutch).
838:. Parlement.com (in Dutch).
502:for the Timor mission. The
494:Willem Jan was awarded the
167:Order of the British Empire
84:Bilthoven (The Netherlands)
10:
1197:
757:Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
457:, the light cruiser HNMLS
186:: Rijksluchtvaartdienst).
178:was a vice admiral in the
895:Allied Warship Commanders
584:Wilton-Fijenoord shipyard
150:with clasp for Timor 1942
134:
124:
109:
101:
88:
74:
50:
42:
30:
23:
780:KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
685:National Maritime Museum
612:Seahawk fighter aircraft
272:Johan Maurits van Nassau
530:Commissioning of HNLMS
402:Earlier, on the way to
313:invaded the Netherlands
153:War Commemorative Cross
801:
723:
706:
615:
604:
573:Battle of the Java Sea
549:Zeven Provinciën class
535:
447:In February 1943, the
441:
308:
219:Dutch Minister of Navy
180:Royal Netherlands Navy
95:Royal Netherlands Navy
824:The Blue Book (Kruys)
795:
768:Fokker F28 Fellowship
739:Hawker FGA-50 Seahawk
728:Rijksluchtvaartdienst
717:
701:
691:, London. His 7.65mm
674:Dutch Veterans Legion
609:
595:
529:
435:
339:Tjerk Hiddes de Vries
302:
102:Years of service
873:Familiearchief Kruys
678:Scouting Netherlands
647:government of the US
354:Battle of Madagascar
227:Theodoor Louis Kruys
212:Willem Jan de Bruyne
947:Operation Pamphlet.
789:on April 20, 1985.
750:air traffic control
645:. On behalf of the
560:De Zeven Provinciën
319:with Dutch admiral
285:Strait of Gibraltar
1070:Karel Doormanfonds
802:
724:
707:
670:Karel Doorman Fund
653:, awarded him the
616:
567:carrying the name
536:
500:Franklin Roosevelt
477:in four converted
471:Operation Pamphlet
469:were deployed for
451:, its sister ship
442:
309:
303:The crew of HNLMS
481:including the SS
366:Port of Fremantle
335:N-class destroyer
249:Early Navy career
221:and vice admiral
208:Dutch East Indies
200:Pangkalan Brandan
173:
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64:Pangkalan Brandan
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1058:Willem Jan Kruys
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693:Sauer & Sohn
666:Dutch Anchorites
571:was sunk in the
565:previous cruiser
508:Expedition Cross
148:Expedition Cross
117:
90:
81:
60:
58:
46:Willem Jan Kruys
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710:Civilian career
655:Legion of Merit
582:, built at the
551:light cruisers
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522:Post-war period
496:Legion of Merit
389:ran aground at
381:Battle of Timor
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281:Dutch Caribbean
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223:Gerhardus Kruys
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162:Legion of Merit
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61:13 January 1906
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512:King George VI
321:Johan Fürstner
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82:(aged 79)
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371:In December,
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78:20 April 1985
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620:Willem Drees
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504:Tjerk Hiddes
503:
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475:9th Division
464:
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449:Tjerk Hiddes
448:
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438:Tjerk Hiddes
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423:Tjerk Hiddes
422:
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408:Tjerk Hiddes
407:
401:
394:
385:
373:Tjerk Hiddes
372:
370:
362:US 7th Fleet
358:Vichy France
356:against the
350:Indian Ocean
346:Tjerk Hiddes
345:
343:
333:, a British
330:Tjerk Hiddes
329:
310:
305:Tjerk Hiddes
304:
295:World War II
271:
263:
252:
216:
193:
175:
174:
142:
129:World War II
125:Battles/wars
119:Vice-admiral
80:(1985-04-20)
18:
761:weathership
489:John Curtin
479:oceanliners
429:to Darwin.
344:With HNLMS
255:Navy career
235:Vriezenveen
196:Navy family
25:W. J. Kruys
1155:Categories
805:References
735:destroyers
632:Carl Romme
259:Den Helder
239:Overijssel
190:Early life
57:1906-01-13
43:Birth name
798:De Ruyter
787:Bilthoven
704:De Ruyter
689:Greenwich
599:De Ruyter
580:De Ruyter
575:in 1942.
569:De Ruyter
554:De Ruyter
532:De Ruyter
454:Van Galen
289:The Hague
231:Jan Kruys
155:1940-1945
105:1924–1960
1166:Admirals
836:G. Kruys
752:system.
743:Atlantic
466:Adelaide
412:squadron
406:, HNLMS
396:Armidale
266:by proxy
243:Deventer
89:Service/
764:Cumulus
720:Cumulus
386:Voyager
364:in the
279:in the
277:Curaçao
204:Sumatra
68:Sumatra
800:(1953)
776:Sydney
772:Qantas
563:. The
540:London
404:Darwin
391:Betano
317:London
270:HNLMS
135:Awards
91:branch
624:Sneek
460:Tromp
377:Timor
184:Dutch
730:).
659:NATO
557:and
325:Bath
110:Rank
75:Died
51:Born
687:in
680:.
590:.
510:).
237:in
1157::
902:^
871:"
864:^
813:^
518:.
341:.
291:.
245:.
909:"
822:"
202:(
70:)
66:(
59:)
55:(
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