The divisie was the largest permanent formation of the Korps Maréchaussée in Atjeh, commanded by a captain who in many districts also exercised civil authority as civiel-gezaghebber.
Establishment
At its foundation in 1890 only one divisie was designated, consisting of a captain-commandant, one first lieutenant, a European sergeant-major, a European fourier, twelve European sergeants, twelve non-European sergeants, twelve non-European corporals and 180 non-European maréchaussées.
By the Gouvernementsbesluit of 3 March 1899 the corps was brought to 20 officers and 1,212 men in five divisions of three afdeelingen, each subdivided into four brigades. Each division stood under the orders of a captain-division commander; the corps as a whole, so far as military administration went, was placed under a field officer, for which the plaatselijk commandant at Koeta Radja was soon designated.
Stations
In 1898 the divisions were localised as follows: Staff at Koeta Radja; 1st Division at Selimoen; 2nd Division at Indrapoeri; 3rd Division at Tjot Mantjang and Glé Broet; 4th Division at Tjot Goet; 5th Division at Lam Baroe and Lho’-Nga.
In 1910 they were: 1st Division at Blang Kedjeren; 2nd Division at Meulaboh; 3rd Division at Takèngan; 4th Division at Lam Meulo; 5th Division at Lho Soekon — where the fifth was still quartered at the time of the 1930 jubilee. Towards the end of 1927 a new division was formed with Bakongan as its station.
Civil authority
Officers attached to the corps were carried à la suite of their own arm, and the commanders of divisions and afdeelingen, where circumstances required it, were charged with the administration as civiel-gezaghebber (civil authority). On the expedition to the Gajo-Loeös of 1904 the civil administration was expressly entrusted to the division commanders.
The Toeangkoe
In the corps’s internal vocabulary, recorded by W. J. Mosselman, the division commander was styled Toeangkoe, having under him three Oeleuhbalangs (officers). Mosselman also recalled the division commander in his indulgent aspect: “dan vierde onze Ouwe, onze Divisiecommandant den teugel” — then our Old Man, our division commander, gave us the rein — on the occasions when the men were free and spent their few saved centen.
See Also
- Korps Maréchaussée te voet in Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden
- Brigade (Maréchaussée)
- Maréchaussée-vocabulaire
- Koeta Radja
- Tocht naar de Gajo-Loeös (1904)
Source
Het Korps Maréchaussée in Atjeh: De Atjehsche Garde, 1890 - 2 April 1930, Extra Jubileum-nummer of Het Nieuws van den Dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië issued for the fortieth anniversary of the corps (1930), pp. 1-16. Offprint DLP-143, Bibliotheek KITLV, accession 621 116 794.