Major Diepenheim was a Dutch majoor of the Indische leger who commanded the linker-colonne — the rechter halve bataljon and a section of artillery — on 13 February 1876 in generaal Pel’s three-colonne operation against the III Moekims, with the task of covering the flank of Jeltes’s midden-colonne in its advance from Kota Alam along the right bank of the Atjeh-rivier against Pango and the Longbatta-Mesigit.
The Three-Colonne Operation against the III Moekims
Pel granted the troops only a couple of days’ rest at Kota Radja after the conquest of Atoeh of 3 February 1876 and the operations that had put the entire XXV Moekims in Dutch hands. On 13 February 1876 he advanced in oostelijke richting with three colonnes against the III Moekims. The rechter-colonne under B. E. Mekern — the 13de bataljon, part of the Barissans and one section of artillery — was to march stroomopwaarts along the left bank of the Atjeh-rivier. The midden-colonne under Jeltes — the 12de bataljon, the remainder of the Barissans and two sections of artillery — was to advance from Kota Alam along the right bank against Pango and the Longbatta-Mesigit. The linker-colonne under Diepenheim was to cover the flank of the midden-colonne.
Outcome and Significance
On 13 February 1876 Pango was conquered and a post opgericht. The same day, however, the catastrophe at Atoeh overtook kapitein van Swieten’s small detachment on the drassige sawah near Lamsajoen. On 14–15 February 1876 the troops conquered Meroe, Lampermej and Tjap Octoe after hevigen tegenstand. At Tjap Octoe the troops stuitten on a sterke benteng with artillery, krachtig verdedigd, which was only taken “met veel moeite en opoffering.” The losses were enough to make Pel decide not to push further eastward but to designate Pango as the uiterste steunpunt of the new linie toward Kwala Gigieng. Diepenheim’s linker-colonne thus completed the encirclement by which the eastern face of Pel’s projected afsluitingslinie was secured. His name is paired in Borel’s narrative with those of Mekern and Jeltes as the three bataljons-commandanten who carried the offensive to its farthest point before Pel’s death at Lamjoeng ten days later.
Sources
Verslagen der Marine‑Vereeniging III 1889‑1890, J. R. J. P. Cambier, pp. 229‑233. 20260707_232246_DLP-55-De_geschiedenis_van_het_Nederlandsche_Korps_Mariniers_van_1665_1945_OCR.txt, pages 138‑141.
Account from H. F. Meijer (1883) — Lambaroe and Kroeëng Raba
Meijer’s official history Atjeh van 26 December 1875 tot 4 September 1876 (1883) gives Diepenheim’s later part in the year. At the storming of Lambaroe on 7 March he led the right half of the 3rd battalion with the barisan company into the kampong from the east — a march in which he was fired on from across the Atjeh River and from an unforeseen enemy work on the left bank — and brought his advance guard before the north face of the great fortification just in time to attack it simultaneously with Major Van Teijn from the south and east. In May he was appointed to the 1st column of the Biloel Zuid operation, falling sick on the first day and handing command to Captain A. Bosch. In July he led the 1st column of the operation in the IV and VI Moekims, bivouacking on the saddle of the pass of Blang Kala where Pel had lain on 16 January; he afterwards remained with three companies of the right half of the 5th battalion at the mouth of the Kroeëng Raba to protect the fortification works of the new post, and on 25 July made the reconnaissance to Lepong, which returned that district’s people to the authority of their lawful chief Toekoe Lampasei. On 27–28 July he returned over the pass of Gli Taroem to Boekit Daroe and Kota Radja.
See Also
- Pel’s offensive against the VI, IV and IX Moekims (1875–1876)
- III Moekims
- Pango
- Longbatta-Mesigit
- Kota Alam
- Tjap Octoe
- Majoor B. E. Mekern
- Majoor Jeltes
- Generaal Pel
- 1876
- Korps Mariniers
- Battle of Daroe
- Glitaroem
- Beradin
- Major B. Mekern
Source
Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. p. 317.