Leleng was a maréchaussée-soldier of the Korps Maréchaussée who, having lost the use of his left hand through a wound, continued to take part in the firing during the engagement in which Captain J. Paris fell on the west coast of Atjeh in the action of 1925–1927.
The incident
The 1930 jubilee number records: “De Maréchaussée-soldaat Leleng, die door een verwonding het gebruik van zijn linkerhand miste, nam aan het vuur op de alang-alang deel door zijn karabijn tusschen de knieën te plaatsen en die met de rechterhand af te schieten!” — the Maréchaussée-soldier Leleng, who through a wound lacked the use of his left hand, took part in the fire on the alang-alang by placing his karabijn between his knees and discharging it with his right hand.
The firing into the cogon grass had been ordered by the wounded Kromo-di-Koro before he handed over command to Suwoek, in order to drive out any Atjehnese who might be lying concealed there.
The episode was cited by the jubilee number as evidence that “de oude geest van het Korps Maréchaussée was bij zijn manschappen blijven voortleven” — the old spirit of the corps had continued to live on among its men.
See Also
- Gevecht waarin kapitein Paris sneuvelde (Westkust van Atjeh, 1925-1927)
- Kromo-di-Koro
- Suwoek
- Sumangkut
- Korps Maréchaussée te voet in Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden
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.