Albert Eduard Stoové

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Albert Eduard Stoové
Yogyakarta, Dutch East Indies
Died23 September 2010(2010-09-23) (aged 89)
Delft, Netherlands
Allegiance Dutch East Indies
 Netherlands
Service/branchRoyal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
Royal Netherlands Air Force
Years of service1939–1946
1954–1976
RankSergeant
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsVliegerkruis
Other workCar Salesman, Car Mechanic, Director Insurance Company

Albert Eduard Stoové (

Captain Jacob Pieter van Helsdingen he received the Vliegerkruis
on 24 February 1942.

Before World War II

Childhood

Albert Eduard (Ed) Stoové was born on 26 December 1920, the third of eight children of Jozeph Leophinus Gaillard Stoové and Louise Caroline Françoise Manz, in

Yogyakarta, so Stoové had a relatively easy childhood.[1]

Start of service

Having just turned 18 in December 1938, Stoové had to report for duty in January 1939. After basic training he joined the Navy, but as he did not feel like being away at sea for months he was granted a transfer to the air force. Because of his family background he was allowed to start pilot training at

second squadron of aircraft group five (short 2-VLG-V) on 1 July 1941. There he received a "personal" aircraft, a Brewster F2A Buffalo with serial number B-3117.[citation needed
]

World War II

Battle of Malaya

Dutch support for the British army in

Kallang Airfield
. ML-KNIL stationed 27 Glenn Martin 139 bombers and 12 Brewster Buffalo fighters at Kallang Airfield for the defense of British Singapore.

Stoové flew several missions from this airfield; his squadron successfully torpedoed a

Battle of Singapore
.

Battle of Balikpapan

On 23 January 1942 Stoové took part in an air-raid

against the Japanese navy fleet off Balikpapan in the Makassar Strait. A total of nine Glenn Martin 139 bombers were escorted by 20 Brewster Buffaloes from 1-VLG-V and 2-VLG-V, each carrying two 110 lb (50 kg) bombs. The Brewsters managed eight hits on four Japanese ships. During the bombing, Stoové's wingman, Ensign Robert Adolf Rothkrans
was shot down and killed. Stoové was awarded the Vliegerkruis.

Battle of Java

On 1 March 1942, when Captain van Helsdingen decided to attack Japanese infantry landing on the beach of Eretan Wetan (now part of Indramayu Regency), he chose Stoové as his wingman. Around 05:30 am, seven Brewster Buffaloes (five from 1-VLG-V and two from 2-VLG-V) started their engines. An eighth aircraft (from 2-VLG-V) could not participate because the engine had caught on fire during a test-run. The participating pilots from 1-VLG-V were; Captain van Rest, 1st Lieutenant Tideman, 1st Lieutenant Benjamins, Sargeants Adam and van Kempen.[2] While under heavy enemy fire the pilots dropped their bombs on several Japanese battle ships and shot at the landing craft during three runs. Van Rest's aircraft (B-3131) was hit multiple times and after returning to base had to remain on the ground. In almost the same garrison as the first attack (except for Captain van Rest and Sargeant van Kempen who was replaced with Sargeant Compaan) the Brewsters took off for a second attack at 07:45 am. During this run 1st Lieutenant Benjamins and Sargeant Stoové were instructed to shoot at Japanese infantry landing on the beach. On his way back to base Stoové had to deal with engine problems but returned safely.

Prisoner of war

After the capitulation of the Dutch East Indies on 8 March 1942, Stoové was imprisoned in several

Japanese Air Force
.

After the War

Emigration

After the war had ended, Stoové was liberated from the Japanese POW camp on Flores, and served out his army contract until January 1947. When the Netherlands gave up the Dutch East Indies in 1949, and it became Indonesia, it became dangerous for citizens of European descent, in particular ex-military and indigenous civilians who had served the Dutch. After Stoové heard from a friend that people were looking for him, he decided to leave. In 1954, Stoové together with his wife, Janet Edith van Handenhove, emigrated to the Netherlands. Starting on 12 May, they sailed for three weeks on the MS Willem Ruys from Yogyakarta to Rotterdam. After a short time in pensions they settled in Bloemendaal.

Back in service

Stoové heard from an old friend from the Dutch East Indies that the Royal Netherlands Air Force were looking for ex-pilots from the ML-KNIL to fill jobs in the Royal Netherlands Air Force. He was accepted and was stationed at Soesterberg airfield flying for the 334th Squadron, so the family moved to Delft. Stoové transported goods and personnel of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and goods and members of the Royal Dutch Family. At the end of 1975 Stoové, aged 55, retired with a pension. After this he worked for 15 years in an Opel garage as a mechanic. He died in a nursing home in Delft, Netherlands, on 23 September 2010. He was 89 years old.

Awards

References

  1. which?][citation needed
    ]
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.marsethistoria.nl. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Dapperheidsonderscheidingen aan Nederlanders voor de Tweede Wereldoorlog". Onderscheidingen.nl. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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