Luitenant de Vries was, in Wøller’s recollection of Kotta Loempoer around 1905, “the most brilliant of these stars” among the Aceh specialist officers.
He belonged to the small third category of officers “who had made Atjeh and the war, that was waged there, their life’s work.” Such men “spoke the language often excellently; studied the history of land and people, its economy, its ‘folklore’.”
De Vries was attached “to the division of marechaussees, which was stationed in Kotta Loempoer in garrison.” He had been “during the last weeks deep in the mountains on expedition, but was expected home for the feast of the colonel, who had ‘discovered’ his special abilities and exploited them to the last drop.”
Wøller counted him among the mythical figures whose “name soon became known throughout the whole army, yes, throughout the whole people. Legends and myths formed around their name when they were still young lieutenants.”
See Also
Source
Als officier van gezondheid naar Nederlandsch-Indië, by Dr. Johan Wøller, trans. Greta Baars-Jelgersma (Utrecht: Erven J. Bijleveld), pp. 171-172.
Luitenant de Vries was, in Wøller’s recollection of Kotta Loempoer around 1905, “the most brilliant of these stars” among the Aceh specialist officers.
He belonged to the small third category of officers “who had made Atjeh and the war, that was waged there, their life’s work.” Such men “spoke the language often excellently; studied the history of land and people, its economy, its ‘folklore’.”
De Vries was attached “to the division of marechaussees, which was stationed in Kotta Loempoer in garrison.” He had been “during the last weeks deep in the mountains on expedition, but was expected home for the feast of the colonel, who had ‘discovered’ his special abilities and exploited them to the last drop.”
Wøller counted him among the mythical figures whose “name soon became known throughout the whole army, yes, throughout the whole people. Legends and myths formed around their name when they were still young lieutenants.”
See Also
Source
Als officier van gezondheid naar Nederlandsch-Indië, by Dr. Johan Wøller, trans. Greta Baars-Jelgersma (Utrecht: Erven J. Bijleveld), pp. 171-172.