Ch. Polman van den Broek was the Dutch controleur at Sigli during the Sigli expedition of 1897 and the subsequent operations in Pidie in 1897-1898. He was also the creator of the sketch maps on which the operations in Pidie were conducted, and his photographs of the Sigli expedition — including the image of Van Heutsz standing on a munitions box directing the action, and the image of the fleeing defenders of the most western fortification of the Peukan Baroe-Peukan Sòt series — were preserved in the published account of Damsté.
The photographs
Polman van den Broek’s photographs include: (1) an image showing Van Heutsz standing on a munitions box, directing the operations during the second day after the expulsion of the enemy from Peukan Baroe-Peukan Sòt, with the second battalion and the marechaussee marching along Koelo Soekoen over the dry sawahs in southern direction; (2) an image of Van Heutsz’s adjutant and another officer on the bridge (over the creek connecting Koeala Baraboh and Koeala Sigli) by the most western fortification of the Peukan Baroe-Peukan Sòt series, with the garrison having just fled on the approach of the Dutch troops.
See Also
- Sigli
- Sigli expedition (August 1897)
- Peukan Baroe
- Peukan Sòt
- Joannes Benedictus van Heutsz
- Pidië
- H. T. Damsté
Source
H. T. Damsté, “Drie Atjeh-Mannen,” Kolonial Tijdschrift, No. 4, 26e Jaargang (1937), overdruck, photographic captions on pp. 17–18.