Date of birth:

February 9th, 1913 (Biervliet, Zeeuws-Vlaanderen)

Date of death:

January 21st, 1997 ('s Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands)

Nationality:

Dutch

Cornelis Engels was born at Biervliet on February 9th 1913. He was drafted in 1933 and placed with the 7e Regiment Veldartillerie (Regiment Field Artillery), horseback as Fuselier with the 1e Depot Bataljon.
After this he signed with the KNIL (Royal Dutch Netherlands Indies Army). He returned to the Netherlands on December 23rd 1939 and was placed in the 14e Regiment Infanterie from December 24th 1939. In March 1940 he was placed with the Staff of the Lichte Divisie (Light Division), where he found himself at war between May 10th and 14th 1940.

On May 13th 1943 he tried to escape from the Netherlands to England in order to try and keep himself out of working duties for the German forces, fot what he had to hide himself for a while. Unfortunately he was captured near Boxtel under the suspition he worked for the resistance, interrogated and transported to Amersfoort and finally Altengrabouw in Berlin. He was placed in a POW camp at Przemysl in Poland. From here he was transported to the POW camp at Kobierzyn, also in Poland. Because of the nearing Soviet Army, the prisoners were replaced to Muhlberg on the Elbe on August 13th 1944 to the Stammlager Muhlberg. The Camp was liberated on April 23rd 1945, after which the prisoners finally could return to the Netherlands.

Back in the Netherlands, Cornelis Engels was trained as a Stoottroeper, for the new Dutch Army that was being build (October 1945) and finally being send to the Dutch East Indies again. He was placed with the 2-1-6e Regiment Infanterie as a Volunteer.
He married with Anna Maria Theresia van Baren on September 28th 1946. Because he had already signed for duty in the Dutch East Indies,he had already left and was married with absence. In the Dutch East Indies he was promoted Corporal and because of his knowledge of the local population and the language he was made Civil Service Assistant of Wedono, an occupation normally only given to officers. Cornelis Engels returned wounded from the Dutch East Indies to the Netherlands. On September 8th 1954 he also received a weapns diploma.

After his time in the Dutch East Indies he returned to the Netherlands. Unfit for active duty, he was trained as civilian and weapons fitter a task he performed for over 21 years. He died in ’s Hertogenbosch on January 21st 1997.

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• Photo: Frans Engels, The Netherlands
• - Homepage van Cornelis Engels