J. H. C. Vastenou is a subject named in General Swart, Pacifier of Atjeh (1943) by M. H. du Croo, in connection with the history of Atjeh and the governorship of H. N. A. Swart.
Account in du Croo’s Generaal Swart (1943)
From Onderneming tegen Soembawa (1908)
Swart made “the apparently more than reckless undertaking against Bima and Soembawa with a handful of military constabulary into a classic example of swift and conclusive pacification.” By royal decree of 2 September 1909 no. 41 he was promoted Commander of the Militaire Willemsorde for his distinction in the operations on Soembawa in that period. The 1ste luitenant der marechaussee (“military constabulary”) J. H. C. Vastenou, Knight 4th Class of the M.W.O. and after his death entered in the registers as Knight 3rd Class, fell on Soembawa on 19 February 1908; his grave monument stands in the cemetery at Makassar. Rear-Admiral C. Baron de Vos van Steenwijk distinguished himself as Luitenant ter Zee on the expedition and was decorated with the M.W.O. 4th class.
From Corps of Military Constabulary of Atjeh and Dependencies
Among the officers and brigade commanders of the corps named in du Croo’s book, in addition to Schmidt, are Jhr. J. J. Boreel, F. Darlang, G. F. B. Watrin, Th. J. Veltman, A. Geertsema Beckeringh, F. P. A. van Gheel Gildemeester, A. H. C. Roelofsen, H. Behrens, W. Muurling, C. A. Snell, Van Eck, Hein Meijer, G. F. P. Gosenson, J. van Arkel, W. A. Herold, Kaniess, Scheurleer, Van der Vlerk, G. K. W. F. de Vaynes van Brakell Buys, M. Schouten, W. J. Mosselman, Slooten, Jenae, Bossert, Gackstätter, Wisse, Loeff, Roobaart, Hanff, J. H. C. Vastenou and P. Nutters.
From Militaire Willemsorde
H. N. A. Swart was appointed Knight 4th Class by royal decree of 30 August 1891 no. 2 for his conduct in Atjeh in 1890; Knight 3rd Class by decree of 13 July 1900 no. 29 for the operations of 1899; and Commander by decree of 2 September 1909 no. 41 for the Soembawa operations of 1908. Many of his subordinates named in du Croo’s book were knights of the order, several with the Eeresabel: H. J. Schmidt, W. B. J. A. Scheepens, F. Darlang, Th. J. Veltman, A. Geertsema Beckeringh, G. F. B. Watrin, J. J. Boreel, A. H. C. Roelofsen, F. P. A. van Gheel Gildemeester, H. Behrens, W. J. Mosselman, M. Schouten, C. A. Snell, G. F. P. Gosenson, G. K. W. F. de Vaynes van Brakell Buys and J. H. C. Vastenou. The sergeants Loeff and Roobaart earned it in the destruction of the band of Tgk. Léjman in 1911. The Ambonese old soldier Jacob Lawalata celebrated thirty-five years as a knight in 1937.
See Also
- Onderneming tegen Soembawa (1908)
- Corps of Military Constabulary of Atjeh and Dependencies
- Militaire Willemsorde
- H. N. A. Swart
- General Swart, Pacifier of Atjeh (1943)
- Atjeh
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), passim.