W. Allirol was a Lieutenant ter zee (naval lieutenant) of the Royal Netherlands Navy who commanded an armed eel‑flotilla during the Tamiang expedition of February 1893. Originating from the steamships Flores (ship), Soembawa (ship), and Sindoro (ship), his unit cleared river obstructions of rotan, rope and bamboo under heavy enemy fire.
Naval Action
Allirol’s flotilla cleared the Tamiang river’s blockades on 15 February 1893, enabling the infantry column to advance. His vessel sustained light wounds, and his actions were recorded in the Dutch naval yearbook of 1892‑1893.
Significance
Allirol’s role illustrates the importance of riverine warfare in the Aceh War, where naval forces often had to remove natural and man‑made barriers to support land operations.
See Also
- Royal Netherlands Navy
- Flores (ship)
- Soembawa (ship)
- Sindoro (ship)
- Tamiang (river)
- Colonel Van de Pol
Source
De geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Korps Mariniers van 1665‑1945, OCR, page 146.