Robert DAVIDS
Date of Birth: 1 November 1916
Place of Birth: Langgoe Modjokerto, East Java
Rank: Korporaal Telegrafist [Corporal Telegraphist]
Group: Koninklijke Marine [Royal Netherlands Navy]
Service Number: 193270
Died: 13 February 1943
Age: 26 years
Buried: Cairns War Cemetery – Plot A – Row A – Grave 14
Robert was born in Langgoe Modjokerto, East Java, Indonesia. His parents were not recorded on his death.
On 6 March 1942 K XII fled Surabaya ahead of the invading Japanese forces taking with them the naval commander of Surabaya and his staff. The ship arrived in Australia on 20 March. The submarine carried out patrols for the Dutch intelligence service, including the landing of spies on the coast of Java, and from June 1943 to March 1944, the K12 operated under American command and was involved in anti-submarine exercises with Australian and other Allied warships off Fremantle.
On 5 May 1944 the boat was paid off and sold in 1945.
Corporal Robert Davids was a wireless operator in the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Korporaal Telegrafist Koninklijke Marine [Corporal Telegraphist Royal Netherlands Navy]. A member of the Dutch Submarine HNLMS K XII he was seconded to the Netherlands East Indies Forces Intelligence Service (NEFIS) but drowned at Kamerunga Crossing during a landing exercise, whilst receiving jungle training at Cairns, Australia.
Korporal Davids headstone is of a different style from the Commonwealth ones. The Netherlands headstones have a smaller dome on top with square shoulders on the sides.
Korporaal Robert Davids name is on the Memorial Wall of the Monument To The Fallen of the Submarine Service, located at the naval harbor in Den Helder.
The Monument
The Monument to the Fallen of the Submarine Service was erected in memory of all Dutch soldiers who died at sea during the Second World War.
This Monument in Den Helder is a red brick wall with seven black plaques built in. There are two bronze plaques on the back of the wall. This has a text and an image of a sinking submarine in silhouette.
The text on the wall reads:
“TO OUR FALLEN”.
The text on the plaque on the back of the wall reads:
“YES IT HAD TO”
The plaques on the front of the memorial contain all the names of the soldiers of the Dutch Submarine Service who died at sea during the Second World War.
Originally, the memorial wall was in Rotterdam.
Two bronze plaques have been added to the monument with, among other things, the names of the people who died on the SS Abosso. On October 12, 2011, 82 additional names were added to the memorial. These submarine personnel perished while not in a submarine. They perished during bombing raids on the way to the submarine or on transport ships. The names had not yet been added to the monument. After an initiative by Fred Gommers from Beverwijk, these names could still be added.
Online Resources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers
Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages
Den Helder, “Monument To The Fallen Of The Submarine Service”
If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!