Pager Ajer was an Atjehnees kampong in the III Moekims sector on the road between K. Radja and the Longbatta-Mesigit, conquered on 4 February 1876 in Pel’s great winter offensive — its stone mosque, the Pager Ajer Mesigit, became a Dutch strongpoint — and the uiterste steunpunt of the new linie toward Kwala Gigieng after the Atoeh catastrophe of 13 February 1876. The post was besieged by the enemy in early March 1876 and relieved by overste Meijer’s colonne in the operation that also stormed Lambaroe.
The conquest of 4 February 1876
Pager Ajer was conquered on 4 February 1876 in the closing sweep of the XXV Moekims. From Toeram the Dutch had made an inval into the III Moekims on 3 February 1876, driving the enemy out of Atoeh after a heeten strijd. The next day the colonne continued noordoostelijk: Lamrong and Lamsajoen were conquered, along with Kajoe Leh, Lambaroe and the Pager Ajer Mesigit, and via Tandjoeng and Bayoer communication was opened with the Longbatta-Mesigit. On 7 February 1876 the troepen returned to K. Radja after a 10-day tocht; total losses were five dead and 59 wounded, “betrekkelijk gering.” The demarcatie-linie now ran from the mouth of the Kroeng Raba on the west coast to Atoeh, then northward to Pager Ajer on the left bank of the Atjeh-rivier.
The uiterste steunpunt
After the Atoeh catastrophe of 13 February 1876 and the conquest of Pango the same day, Pel pressed on through Meroe, Lampermej and Tjap Octoe on 14–15 February 1876; at Tjap Octoe the troepen stuitten on a sterke benteng with artillery, krachtig verdedigd, 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 — judged voldoende. Pager Ajer became part of the same linie. In early March 1876 the communication between Pager Ajer and the Longbatta-Mesigit was broken and Kajoe Leh was ingesloten by the enemy. Overste Meijer marched with a colonne from K. Radja to ontzet the bedreigde posten; after the enemy was verdreven on the Pager Ajer side, the colonne stuitten at Lambaroe on a sterke benteng which was stormenderhand taken, the Atjehneezen leaving more than 70 dead.
See Also
- III Moekims
- XXV Moekims
- Atoeh
- Lamsajoen
- Lambaroe
- Pango
- Tjap Octoe
- Longbatta-Mesigit
- Kolonel Meijer
- Generaal Pel
- Atoeh catastrophe (13 February 1876)
- Pel’s offensive against the VI, IV and IX Moekims (1875–1876)
Source
Onze vestiging in Atjeh, critisch beschreven, by G. F. W. Borel, Kapitein der Artillerie. ‘s-Gravenhage: D. A. Thieme, 1878. pp. 327–329, 336–337.