G. K. W. F. de Vaynes van Brakell Buys — called Karel, and by H. N. A. Swart Carolus — was, in the caption of his portrait in du Croo’s book, “a highly deserving constabulary officer and connoisseur of Atjeh, who from 1914 to 1918 held the difficult post of adjutant to the Civil and Military Governor.” He was a Ridder van de Militaire Willemsorde.
The soerats
The Acehnese, du Croo wrote, “are mad about a soerat, a letter, a written “certificate of good conduct”,” and Swart was continually accosted on tour by chiefs and ordinary people asking for one. “Ja, dat is goed,” the Governor would say, and turning to his adjutant: “Carolus, geef den man een soerat (“letter of certification”).” And Carolus promptly wrote: “The Acehnese Joesoef of the village of So-and-so in Pidië is known to me — De C. en M. Gouverneur,” and Swart signed just as promptly, “waarop een doodgelukkige Atjeher met dat kostbare paperas naar huis wandelde — honderden van dergelijke ‘soerats’ worden waarschijnlijk nu nog als poesaka bewaard!”
The zwartzwier inspection
De Vaynes accompanied Swart on the inspection tour that produced one of the best-known Swart anecdotes. Swart was fond of zwartzwier — jugged duck — “and the maddest of all was perhaps the Governor of Atjeh.” At the first post he was satisfied, and there was zwartzwier in the evening: “dat zal smaken.” At the second post he was satisfied, and again zwartzwier: “heel lekker.” At the third post he was less satisfied, and still zwartzwier: “Hm.” Nine days he inspected; nine days zwartzwier. On the last day Swart sighed: “Carulus, ik kan dat goed niet meer zien!” — “But we are going home now, General,” Carolus consoled him. — “That is the only consolation,” said Swart, “that at least this afternoon I shall at last eat properly again.” That afternoon Carolus was telephoned by the Governor: “Carolus, what have you had to eat?” — “To eat, Governor? Beefsteak with fried potatoes.” — “And do you know what I have had, Carolus?” — and the truth dawned on Carolus, who barely turned a grin into an “oooohhhh” — before the other end steamed: “Zwartzwier, Carolus! Voor de tiende keer. En als welkom thuis!”
Entry in the Maréchaussée register of honours (1930)
The Overzicht van Onderscheidingen printed in the 1930 jubilee number of Het Nieuws van den Dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië records under 1906 the award to 1ste Luits. Mar. G. K. W. F. de Vaynes van Brakell Buys of the knight’s cross of the Militaire Willems-Orde 4th class, among the six recipients of that class in that year.
See Also
- H. N. A. Swart
- Corps of Military Constabulary of Atjeh and Dependencies
- Militaire Willemsorde
- Gouvernement Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden
- Overzicht van Onderscheidingen toegekend aan het Korps Maréchaussée in Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden (1890-1930)
- Het Korps Maréchaussée in Atjeh (Jubileum-nummer 1930)
Source
Generaal Swart, Pacificator van Atjeh (“General Swart, Pacifier of Atjeh”), by M. H. du Croo, Colonel K.N.I.L. (retired), with the collaboration of H. J. Schmidt, Titular Colonel K.N.I.L. (retired), with a foreword by His Excellency Lieutenant-General K.N.I.L. (retired) G. K. Dijkstra (Maastricht: N.V. Leiter-Nypels, 1943), Chapter XV, pp. 144, 146 and illustration p. 187.
Het Korps Maréchaussée in Atjeh: De Atjehsche Garde, 1890 - 2 April 1930 (“The Corps of Maréchaussée in Atjeh: The Atjehnese Guard”), 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.