Salawono was an Ambonese sergeant of the Royaal Nederlandsch-Indisch Leger’s Marechaussee — a Ridder derde klas of the Militaire Willemsorde (M.W.O.) — who earned the Eervolle Vermelding and the Medaille voor Moed en Trouw at the Marechaussee korps, then the M.W.O. 4e klas at the storming of Limboer in Djambi on 22 June 1903 (where he was the first over the wall, alone, and held it with rifle fire until the wounded luitenant Van Hoogenhuyzen could rejoin), and the M.W.O. 3e klas on Celebes for the *Verovering van de Alla-stellingen (Celebes, 1905-1908)|verovering van de berucht Alla-stellingen]] and the overval on Andi Noni’s band. He is one of the four retired M.W.O.-ridders who acted as slippendragers at the funeral of Dominee Thenu in Koeta-Radja.
The Marechaussee korps and the early decorations
“Voor het leger kunnen we dit zien aan sergeant Salawono, Ridder 3e klas.” At the Marechaussee korps itself Salawono had “een Eervolle Vermelding en de Moed en Trouw verdiend” — an Honorable Mention and the Medal for Courage and Loyalty. These were the standard decorations of a distinguished Marechaussee career; they would be the prelude to the higher M.W.O. decorations of his later service.
The storming of Limboer (22 June 1903)
“In Djambi werden op 22 Juni 1903 de versterkingen van Limboer genomen.” At Limboer, “ontstond weifeling in de sectie van luitenant Van Hoogenhuyzen.” The luitenant rushed forward with a few men but fell into the gracht of the versterking. “Salawono was de eerste die de wal beklom” — Salawono was the first to climb the wall — alone, and held it with rifle fire until the wounded luitenant, pulled out of the gracht by the Ambonese korporaal Dirks, could rejoin him inside. The next day Dirks was killed. Salawono was awarded the M.W.O. 4e klas.
The Celebes campaign (1905-1908) and the 3e klas
“Salawono verkreeg de derde klas voor zijn optreden bij de verovering van de berucht Alla-stellingen, van een heuvelstelling en bij de overval van de bende van Andi Noni en de daarop volgende achtervolging van dat aanvankelijk ontkomen hoofd.” The three actions recognised by the M.W.O. 3e klas were: the taking of the notorious Alla-stellingen (fortified hill positions on Celebes); the taking of a separate heuvelstelling; and the overval on Andi Noni’s band followed by the achtervolging of the initially escaped hoofd. The decoration elevated Salawono from Ridder 4e klas to Ridder 3e klas — a rare progression within the order.
The slippendragers at Thenu’s funeral
When Dominee Thenu died on 11 May 1937, the four slippendragers at his funeral were “vier oude, gepensioneerde Marechaussees … alle vier ridders M.W.O.: Salawono (3e kl.), Pattiasina, Kazen en Pattipuluhu.” Salawono’s place as the first-named — and the only one whose klas is specified — marks him as the most senior of the four. The choice of four M.W.O.-ridders to carry the dominee’s bier is the book’s most resonant image of the moral economy of the colonial army: the men who had been decorated for courage under fire laid their decorations, in effect, at the feet of the man who had blessed them.
Significance
Salawono’s significance in Oom Ambon van het K.N.I.L. is as the most fully-decorated of the book’s named Ambonese soldiers, and as the type of the Marechaussee Ridder — the man whose career can be read through his decorations, from the Eervolle Vermelding and Moed en Trouw of the korps, through the 4e klas at Limboer, to the 3e klas on Celebes. His presence as a slippendrager at Thenu’s funeral ties the decorated courage of the old Marechaussee to the moral gezag of the Soldaten-Dominee.
Sources
Oost-Indisch Journael: Palaver om de tafel met het gat, by Merac, Toekan-Serie no. 2, ed. G. L. Tichelman (Haarlem: De Gulden Pers, 1947), the chapter on den zieleherder
Salowono — also Salawono — was an Ambonese sergeant of the Korps Marechaussee van Atjeh en Onderhorigen in Aceh, one of the sergeants of the war — the Aceh War. In Oost-Indisch Journael by Merac (1947), Salowono is the second-named of the sergeants in Musket’s list of the Marechaussee commanders: “Gilles Graafland, Van Daalen, Campioni, Christoffel, Van der Maaten, Scheepens, Watrin, Webb, Colijn, Geertsema Beckering, Darlang and the sergeants Nussy, Salowono, Pongoh … a colourful array.”
See Also
- Storming of Limboer (22 June 1903)
- Verovering van de Alla-stellingen (Celebes, 1905-1908)
- Militaire Willemsorde (M.W.O.)
- Eervolle Vermelding
- Medaille voor Moed en Trouw
- Korpleider Dirks
- Van Hoogenhuyzen
- Andi Noni
- Dominee Thenu
- Pattiasina
- Kazen
- Pattipuluhu
- Oost-Indisch Journael
- Musket
- Nussy
- Pongoh
- Gilles Graafland
- Van Daalen
- Campioni
- Christoffel
- Van der Maaten
- Scheepens
- Watrin
- Webb
- Colijn
- Geertsema Beckering
- Darlang
- Korps Marechaussee van Atjeh en Onderhorigen
- Atjeh-oorlog
Source
Oom Ambon van het K.N.I.L., by G. W. T. Dames, Maj. Inf. K.N.I.L. b.d. (‘s-Gravenhage: Koninklijke Bibliotheek, 1954), chapter “Leve het Zesde Bataljon!” and chapter “Dominee Thenu.”
Salawono was an Ambonese sergeant of the Royaal Nederlandsch-Indisch Leger’s Marechaussee — a Ridder derde klas of the Militaire Willemsorde (M.W.O.) — who earned the Eervolle Vermelding and the Medaille voor Moed en Trouw at the Marechaussee korps, then the M.W.O. 4e klas at the storming of Limboer in Djambi on 22 June 1903 (where he was the first over the wall, alone, and held it with rifle fire until the wounded luitenant Van Hoogenhuyzen could rejoin), and the M.W.O. 3e klas on Celebes for the *Verovering van de Alla-stellingen (Celebes, 1905-1908)|verovering van de berucht Alla-stellingen]] and the overval on Andi Noni’s band. He is one of the four retired M.W.O.-ridders who acted as slippendragers at the funeral of Dominee Thenu in Koeta-Radja.
The Marechaussee korps and the early decorations
“Voor het leger kunnen we dit zien aan sergeant Salawono, Ridder 3e klas.” At the Marechaussee korps itself Salawono had “een Eervolle Vermelding en de Moed en Trouw verdiend” — an Honorable Mention and the Medal for Courage and Loyalty. These were the standard decorations of a distinguished Marechaussee career; they would be the prelude to the higher M.W.O. decorations of his later service.
The storming of Limboer (22 June 1903)
“In Djambi werden op 22 Juni 1903 de versterkingen van Limboer genomen.” At Limboer, “ontstond weifeling in de sectie van luitenant Van Hoogenhuyzen.” The luitenant rushed forward with a few men but fell into the gracht of the versterking. “Salawono was de eerste die de wal beklom” — Salawono was the first to climb the wall — alone, and held it with rifle fire until the wounded luitenant, pulled out of the gracht by the Ambonese korporaal Dirks, could rejoin him inside. The next day Dirks was killed. Salawono was awarded the M.W.O. 4e klas.
The Celebes campaign (1905-1908) and the 3e klas
“Salawono verkreeg de derde klas voor zijn optreden bij de verovering van de berucht Alla-stellingen, van een heuvelstelling en bij de overval van de bende van Andi Noni en de daarop volgende achtervolging van dat aanvankelijk ontkomen hoofd.” The three actions recognised by the M.W.O. 3e klas were: the taking of the notorious Alla-stellingen (fortified hill positions on Celebes); the taking of a separate heuvelstelling; and the overval on Andi Noni’s band followed by the achtervolging of the initially escaped hoofd. The decoration elevated Salawono from Ridder 4e klas to Ridder 3e klas — a rare progression within the order.
The slippendragers at Thenu’s funeral
When Dominee Thenu died on 11 May 1937, the four slippendragers at his funeral were “vier oude, gepensioneerde Marechaussees … alle vier ridders M.W.O.: Salawono (3e kl.), Pattiasina, Kazen en Pattipuluhu.” Salawono’s place as the first-named — and the only one whose klas is specified — marks him as the most senior of the four. The choice of four M.W.O.-ridders to carry the dominee’s bier is the book’s most resonant image of the moral economy of the colonial army: the men who had been decorated for courage under fire laid their decorations, in effect, at the feet of the man who had blessed them.
Significance
Salawono’s significance in Oom Ambon van het K.N.I.L. is as the most fully-decorated of the book’s named Ambonese soldiers, and as the type of the Marechaussee Ridder — the man whose career can be read through his decorations, from the Eervolle Vermelding and Moed en Trouw of the korps, through the 4e klas at Limboer, to the 3e klas on Celebes. His presence as a slippendrager at Thenu’s funeral ties the decorated courage of the old Marechaussee to the moral gezag of the Soldaten-Dominee.
See Also
- Storming of Limboer (22 June 1903)
- Verovering van de Alla-stellingen (Celebes, 1905-1908)
- Militaire Willemsorde (M.W.O.)
- Eervolle Vermelding
- Medaille voor Moed en Trouw
- Korpleider Dirks
- Van Hoogenhuyzen
- Andi Noni
- Dominee Thenu
- Pattiasina
- Kazen
- Pattipuluhu
Source
Oom Ambon van het K.N.I.L., by G. W. T. Dames, Maj. Inf. K.N.I.L. b.d. (‘s-Gravenhage: Koninklijke Bibliotheek, 1954), chapter “Leve het Zesde Bataljon!” and chapter “Dominee Thenu.”