Date of birth:

October 4th, 1895 (Vlaardingen, the Netherlands)

Date of death:

October 16th, 1974 (Vlaardingen, the Netherlands)

Nationality:

Dutch

Pieter Brons is first mate on board the motor tanker Sliedrecht. About 150 miles northwest of Ireland, the neutral ship was stopped by the German submarine U-28 on November 16, 1939, to check the papers. The commander notes that the tanker first calls at Kirkwall while on its way to Norway and then decides to torpedo the tanker. The ship breaks into two parts but remains afloat. The ship sinks a day later. Ultimately, 26 of the crew members died. The sloop with Pieter Brons in it will travel another six days and nights and about 300 miles before it is discovered by a British trawler and the 5 survivors are dropped off ashore in Orban. The second sloop of the tanker with the captain and other crew members on board was never heard from again.
The Sliedrecht is the first Dutch ship torpedoed and sunk by the Germans before the outbreak of war in the Netherlands.
Pieter Brons is nominated by the Inspector General for Shipping for the silver De Ruyter medal and this is awarded by Royal Decree no. 30 on March 11, 1940.

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• - Koninklijk Besluit No. 30, 11 maart 1940