Museum-quality and complete military archive with the...

Unique and 100% airtight personal archive of the Dutch soldier Pieter (Piet) de Kruijff (born March 9, 1918 in Kesteren). This unique dossier tells the complete life story of a young Gelderland artilleryman who truly experienced every major hotspot of modern Dutch military history up close: from the bloody Battle of the Grebbeberg in May 1940 to the fierce combat as a War Volunteer (OVW) with the legendary Stoottroepen Regiment in the jungle of Dutch Indië. Each object and document in this lot is unequivocally linked to one another through his unique military file/army number (1-180309000), making this a historical monument of museum-like significance. The Handwritten War Diary & Poetry Collection • The original diary "Onze Dagorder". • Contains extremely rare, raw front-line poems about the loss of comrades (including an emotional poem for a fallen farmer’s son from 1946) and even handwritten copies of Indonesian nationalist fight songs (Merah-Poetih). A unique ego-document. 2. Privately purchased Folding Knife • A spectacular, period hunting/ folding knife with a folding brass guard (crossguard) and lever lock. Hand-operated opening, only sharpened 3. The Great Photo Archive (250+ Original Photos) • Preserved in the original, characteristic post-war Panther cigar tin. • Over 250 original photos documenting his entire journey: service on horseback with the Corps of Mounted Artillery (Gele Rijders) in Arnhem (1938), the crossing on the overcrowded troop ship S.S. Alcantara (1945), jungle patrols along roadblocks, and the guarding of the strategic oil refineries of the BPM in Pladjoe/Palembang (Sumatra). • Highlight: Original photos of the salvage of a crashed KNIL reconnaissance aircraft (Piper Cub R-323) deep in the rimboe (jungle)! 4. Historically Handwritten Front Poem: The Shipwreck (May 31, 1946) • A unique, double-sided handwritten poem composed by a corporal on the front in Java. It personally honors Piet de Kruijff by name ("Piet de Kruijff, a fine chap") for his gallant conduct and presence of mind during an actual, dramatic shipwreck in the surf, where he saved comrades and weapons. Rare Medals & Official Documents • Medal for the Battle of the Grebbeberg (May 1940): With a signed land map of the positions around Rhenen. • Medal for the Order and Peace (1948): Signed on behalf of the Minister of War, including exact embarkation and repatriation dates (October 12, 1945 – May 23, 1948). • Y-Brigade / Olifanten-brigade Medal: A gorgeous graphical demobilization certificate with the White Elephant. • Military Identification Tag (Model 1923): Original zinc tag inscribed De Kruiff / Piet / Nederland. Stoottroepen military ID tag. • Identity Card (1944): Including the original passport photo and thumbprint, linked to the rare "Goed-Nederlander-verklaring" of the mayor of Opheusden (1945) for his admission to the resistance/Stoottroepen. • Discharge and Repatriation Passes (1940-1948): Including his pass from the Military Hospital The Hague (where he lay for 3 months after his Grebbeberg wound), his Stoottroepen pass from Vught (1945), and the official letter aboard the troopship S.S. Zuiderkruis (April 26, 1948). Personal Effects & Souvenirs • Pocket Bible: His personal New Testament with a unique handwritten inscription: "Bangka – P. de Kruijff – 2e Comp. VIIe Bataljon Regiment Stoottroepen". • In Memoriam / Prayer Cards: The original memorial card including the loose portrait photo of his direct corporal and comrade Wim van den Hoven, Stoottrooper who fell (Palembang, January 16, 1947). • Hand-painted Wooden Disc Plaque: Made by a local Indonesian artist, with Piet’s portrait and the operational route: Semarang - Pladjoe - Palembang. • Silver Coin Chain (Straits Settlements 1918): Made during his forced stay in Malacca (Malaysia) in the winter of 1945. The coin spectacularly bears his birth year: 1918! • Engraved Copper Bracelet: Traditional Indian craft, kept as a keepsake for the home front. • Language Notebook: "Concise Malay Grammar" (1945) with his handwritten service number aboard the ship. All items are in beautiful, authentic, used condition with the unmistakable patina of the front. Documents are well-used but clearly legible. This lot is offered as a single whole and must absolutely not be split in order to preserve the unique historical value.

Estimation:€700

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