Kruijt, Cornelis "Kees"

Date of birth:: April 9th, 1899 (Katwijk, the Netherlands)
Date of death:: March 7th, 1942 (Ind. Oceaan a/b s.s. Poelau Bras)
Nationality:: Dutch (1815-present, Kingdom)

Biography

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Kruis van Verdienste (KV)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Eerste stuurman der Koopvaardij
Unit:: m.s. "Poelau Bras", Nederlandse Koopvaardij
Awarded on:: July 22nd, 1948

Recommendation:
For having strictly followed the orders, given to him by the captain to assemble the passengers at the lifeboats when his vessel, the M.V. Poela Bras was attacked towards the end of February 1942 by Japanese aircraft and so severely damaged that it could not be saved.
When panic broke out among the passengers, he tried to restore order while simultaneously giving instructions to lower the lifeboats. He went under with his vessel.

Posthumously awarded (Royal Decree no. 3)