C.H. Kool van Heerens (born 16 October 1845, Huizum) was a brave Dutch gunner (kanonnier) of the artillery whose heroic death became legendary during the Second Conquest of the Great Missigit on 14 April 1873.
Heroic Death
During the intense combat at the walls of Atjeh’s Groote Missigit, Kool van Heerens realized that the 12-second fuses on the hand grenades allowed the Acehnese to throw them back at the Dutch troops. To prevent this, he lit a fuse, held the live grenade in his hand, and climbed the Stormladders until his shoulders cleared the wall. He waited until the last possible moment to throw the grenade into the enemy ranks. At that exact instant, an Acehnese defender thrust a lance entirely through his throat and neck. Kool van Heerens fell backward and died in the arms of his comrades, his action saving many Dutch lives and neutralizing numerous defenders.
See Also
Source
De verovering van Atjeh’s groote Missigit by J.F.D. Bruinsma, Sneek, 1889, pp. 58-59.