J. C. Heijnen was a European sergeant and brigade-commandant of the Korps Maréchaussée in Atjeh, who in 1902 received both the fourth and the third class of the Militaire Willems-Orde within six months, and was the third non-commissioned officer — and the fifth member of the corps as a whole — to be granted that high distinction.
Service and decorations
Heijnen was born on 16 October 1869. As brigade-commandant of Maréchaussée he received on 18 February 1902 the knight’s cross of the Militaire Willems-Orde 4th class, and on 31 July of the same year the 3rd class. The register of honours in the 1930 jubilee number records the 3rd-class award under 1902 jointly with that to his division commander, Kapt. Mar. K. van der Maaten, and gives his register number as Alg. Stb. No. 31519.
He was, the jubilee notice states, “de derde onderofficier, wien deze hooge onderscheiding werd toegekend en no. 5 van het geheele Korps” — the third non-commissioned officer to whom this high distinction was granted, and number five of the whole corps.
The photograph dedicated by Van der Maaten
The jubilee number reproduced a photograph of Captain K. van der Maaten, who had been promoted knight of the Militaire Willems-Orde 3rd class at the same time as his brigade commander; the caption records that the photograph “werd door zijn oud-divisiecommandant aan sergeant Heijnen opgedragen” — was dedicated by his former division commander to Sergeant Heijnen.
Later career
Heijnen afterwards transferred into the service of the police, and was pensioned as adjunct-hoofdcommissaris, after the knight’s cross of the Orde van Oranje-Nassau had been conferred upon him.
Note on spelling
The jubilee number spells the name both Heijnen and Heynen; the same variation occurs in other Atjeh literature.
See Also
- K. van der Maaten
- Korps Maréchaussée te voet in Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden
- Militaire Willemsorde
- Brigade (Maréchaussée)
- Overzicht van Onderscheidingen toegekend aan het Korps Maréchaussée in Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden (1890-1930)
- 1902
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.