Glé Broeë — written in Dutch as also Glé Broe, Glé Broë — was the principal Achehnese defensive position east of Kroeng-Kali, attacked by the Hansen column on 22–23 June 1896 in the closing operation of the first semester of 1896. As described in Kruisheer’s ATJEH ‘96, the Glé Broeë stelling was a complex of six fortifications — Koeta Lampoe Taroem, Toei Gloempang, Glé Broeë Siem, Boeng, Koeta Lampoe Djoeng, and Teungkoe Ba+ Riwat — with a total garrison of approximately 200 men. The Glé Broeë stelling was the eastern anchor of the Achehnese defensive line that included the Kroeng-Kali benteng of T. Tjoet Toengkoeb and the Tjot Karieng stelling, and was attacked from the rear by the Hansen column that had landed at Ladoeng on 23 June 1896.
Description and Location
Glé Broeë lay to the east of Kroeng-Kali in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb of T. Tjoet Toengkoeb, at the eastern edge of the country between Kroeng-Kali and the east coast. The Glé Broeë stelling was a complex of six fortifications: Koeta Lampoe Taroem, Toei Gloempang, Glé Broeë Siem, Boeng, Koeta Lampoe Djoeng, and Teungkoe Ba+ Riwat. The total garrison was approximately 200 men. The stelling was bounded on the west by the kampong and benteng of Kroeng-Kali and on the east by the mountain wall and the east coast. The Tjot Karieng (Tjat Karieng) hill to the east of Kroeng-Kali was the site of an associated Achehnese stelling — the southern part of which belonged to the III Moekims Lam-Rebo — that was occupied by the 14e Bataljon. The Glé Broeë stelling was the eastern anchor of the Achehnese defensive line that included the Kroeng-Kali benteng of T. Tjoet Toengkoeb.
Historical Background
The Glé Broeë stelling had been built up by the Achehnese over years as the eastern bastion of their defensive line in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb. The stelling was a complex of six versterkingen — Koeta Lampoe Taroem, Toei Gloempang, Glé Broeë Siem, Boeng, Koeta Lampoe Djoeng, and Teungkoe Ba+ Riwat — with a total garrison of approximately 200 men. The benteng Glé Broë (presumably the same as Glé Broeë) had been recaptured on 4 August 1895 by the legioen of T. Djohan in the course of his operations as Panglima Prang Besar. The stelling was the eastern anchor of the Achehnese defensive line in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb and was associated with the Kroeng-Kali benteng of T. Tjoet Toengkoeb and the Tjot Karieng stelling. The Koeta T. Rajoet benteng — also recaptured on 4 August 1895 — was associated with the same complex.
Role in the 1896 Operations
The Glé Broeë stelling was the object of the Hansen column of 22–23 June 1896 — the closing operation of the first semester of 1896. On 22 June 1896 the H. M. Merapi, the Gouvernementsstoomer Condor, and the Albatros embarked Hansen’s column at Oleh-leh and sailed for Ladoeng. On 23 June 1896 the column landed at Ladoeng in 4 échelons led by Lt. ter zee 1e kl. van den Broek, crossed the Kroeng-Angin river at 1:45 PM, and was blocked by the Aloer Rampoenoen stream (bridge started 9:10 AM). The column then advanced against the Glé Broeë stelling from the rear, in coordination with a maréchaussée column under Luitenant Vuijkk that had crossed Glé Taroempas and descended into the valley of Beradin from the east, and with the compagnie of Kapitein Linck of the 12e Bataljon that stormed the Kroeng-Kali benteng on the same day. The Tjot Karieng stelling to the east of Kroeng-Kali was occupied by the 14e Bataljon. The operation was supported by the marine from the Kroeng-Raba bay. The Glé Broeë stelling was the principal objective of the operation, and its fall — together with the fall of the Kroeng-Kali benteng — broke the back of organised Achehnese defence in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb.
Significance
The Glé Broeë stelling was the eastern bastion of the Achehnese defensive line in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb and the principal objective of the Hansen column of 22–23 June 1896. The combined land-and-sea operation against Glé Broeë — coordinated with the storming of the Kroeng-Kali benteng by the compagnie of Kapitein Linck and the maréchaussée advance through Glé Taroempas — was the most-complex Dutch operation of the first semester of 1896 and demonstrated the Dutch ability to strike at Achehnese strongpoints from multiple directions. The fall of Glé Broeë broke the back of organised Achehnese defence in the XIII Moekims Toengkoeb and concluded the first semester of 1896.
See Also
- Ladoeng Landing and Glé Broeë Attack (22–23 June 1896)
- G. A. Hansen
- J. B. van Heutsz
- Kroeng-Kali
- T. Tjoet Toengkoeb
- Tjot Karieng
- XIII Moekims Toengkoeb
- Battle of Kroeng-Kali (23 June 1896)
- Ladoeng
- Glé Taroempas
- 1896
Source
ATJEH ‘96, door A. Kruisheer, Kapitein der Infanterie O.I.L., met 2 kaarten en 4 portretten (Weltevreden: N.V. Boekhandel Visser & Co, 1913). Instituut Kern, Leiden. OCR-filename: 20260715_163243_DLP-89-Atjeh_96_Met_2_kaarten_en4_DOORA_KRUISHEER_Kapiteinder_Infanterie_nemoretriever-ocr-v1_OCR.txt, p. 322.