Honouring Hille Kleinstra's WWII Service

My great-grandfather, Hille Kleinstra (service number 118704), served in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) during World War II. His rank is recorded as "Sgt. 1e kl. Inf." (Sergeant Eerste Klasse der Infanterie - Sergeant First Class of Infantry) in Dutch records and sometimes abbreviated as "LST. SGT. ERC. INF." (Last Reserve First Class Infantry Sergeant)¹ – where "Last" simply refers to the final rank held. His Japanese military records note his rank as "予備役歩兵軍曹" (Reserve Infantry Sergeant).

At the time of his capture, he was working as a civilian "SOU. CHEF. K.P.M." (Sous-Chef/Sub-Chief at the Royal Packet Navigation Company) while also serving as a reservist in the KNIL. This dual civilian-military role was common, especially during wartime when KPM resources were vital. He was among the estimated 5,620 victims aboard the Japanese transport ship Junyo Maru when the British submarine HMS Tradewind torpedoed it on 18 September 1944 at position 2°53′S 101°11′E between 18:30-18:45 (according to Japanese records, though British records note an earlier time due to time zone differences). The ship, often described as a "hell ship" due to its horrific conditions, was carrying Dutch, English, Australian, American prisoners of war, and Javanese slave labourers (Rōmusha) en route to the notorious Sumatra Railway project, a forced labor site that resulted in thousands of deaths.

Family Background and Heritage

The Kleinstra family has a rich heritage dating back to the 18th century in the northern Netherlands. According to genealogical records, the earliest documented ancestor is Jan Hindriks Kleinstra, who worked as a weaver (wever) and was married to Imke Pieters in Twijzel, Friesland. Their son, Hendrik Jans Kleinstra (1743-1815), worked as a laborer and field watcher (veldwachter) and married Trijntje Sijbes in 1776.

Through the generations, many Kleinstra family members maintained connections to maritime occupations, working as schippers (boatmen/skippers), ship captains, and in other maritime-related trades. This family tradition began at least as early as Hille's father Jan Kleinstra and continued through Hille's own career with the KPM (Royal Packet Navigation Company).

My great-grandfather's grandfather, Hille Kleinstra (1842-1929), exemplified this maritime entrepreneurial spirit. According to family records kleinstra-genealogy, he converted a sailing ship into a 'potschip' (trading vessel) with a steam engine. As a 'parlevinker' (traveling merchant), he sold tableware, pans, pots, and porcelain throughout the waterways of northern Netherlands. His vessel was approximately 12 meters long, with limited living space. Historical tax records from around 1890 show his annual income as ƒ1200. Family stories tell of his adventures, including a journey carrying Port wine during which his wife Marchien fell ill with cholera and was supposedly cured by consuming the Port wine.

My great-grandfather Hille Kleinstra was born on 1 February 1904 in Borger, province of Drenthe, Netherlands, as confirmed by his official birth registration document (No. 25). The name 'Hille' has Frisian origins, reflecting the family's roots. It is derived from the Germanic element 'hild' meaning 'battle' or ' strife,' ironically foreshadowing his military service, and was common in Friesland and nearby Drenthe.

The birth was registered on February 2, 1904, by his father Jan Kleinstra, who was 26 years old and worked as a "schipper". Jan Kleinstra lived in Noordschans in the municipality of Klundert/Zevenbergen at that time. Hille's Japanese POW card further specifies that he originated from Buinen (a locality within the Borger municipality) and lists his mother's name as Ijtje Hansma, confirming genealogical records. Documents from the Dutch War Graves Foundation indicate he was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church (Nederlands Hervormde Kerk).

A significant discovery is a marriage consent document from 1925 revealing Jan Kleinstra had emigrated to Canada by this time. The document, an official consent form from Ontario, shows Jan living in Wallaceburg, Kent County, working as a "Labourer" when he consented to Hille's marriage. The document notes Hille residing at 9 Fred Hendr. Str. 2 Amsterdam and includes explicit consent for Hille " to leave Holland after his marriage to take up his residence in the East Indies." This was signed in Wallaceburg on November 25th, 1925, attested by Arthur M. Lebel, and certified by the Dutch Consul General in Toronto on November 30th, 1925. By this time, several Kleinstra family members had settled in Canada, though some later returned to the Netherlands. Jan Kleinstra's siblings also established families across the Netherlands: Johanna (Janna) Kleinstra ( 1873-1958) married Jan Harmannus Hoendermis and lived near Groningen before their son Evert moved to The Hague; Jacob Kleinstra (1879-1962) married Elizabeth Boer and settled in Zeist; Grietje Kleinstra (1881-1958) married Lukas Graver and lived in Groningen.

Hille married my great-grandmother Maria Hendrina Reedeker (born September 22, 1903 in Markelo) on 1 September 1926 in Sneek, Friesland. The witness was Jacob Kind ("commies ter secretarie"). The consent document lists Maria Hendrina's parents as Willem Reediker and Froukje Harswinkei Fijpster. Family documents indicate the couple traveled to the Dutch East Indies shortly after their marriage.

Together they had three children, all born in the Dutch East Indies: my grandmother Maria Hendrina Kleinstra (born October 5, 1927 in Batavia, now part of Jakarta), Jacoba Annie Kleinstra (born November 14, 1929 in Batavia), and Willem Jan Kleinstra (born April 3, 1936 in Buitenzorg, now known as Bogor).

Military Career and Civilian Occupation

My great-grandfather's KNIL rank was Sergeant First Class of Infantry ("Sgt. 1e kl. Inf."). As a senior onderofficier in the infantry, Hille would have had significant leadership responsibilities, typically leading a squad of 10-15 men and influencing a platoon of 30-40. His duties included training, discipline, and executing orders, acting as a vital link between officers and enlisted men.

In addition to his military service as a reservist, his Japanese POW card lists his occupation as "SOU. CHEF. K.P.M." The Japanese notation "汽船会社員" (kisen gaisha-in) confirms "steamship company employee". Having started as a boekhouder (bookkeeper), he rose to "Sous-chef" (deputy chief/manager) at the Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM). This middle/upper management role likely involved overseeing shipping schedules, personnel, and cargo operations, connecting with his family's maritime tradition (his father was a schipper).

This dual civilian-military status was common for Dutch personnel in the East Indies under the Landstorm reserve system, especially after war began. KPM was vital for trade and military transport, and during WWII, many KPM ships and personnel were requisitioned for military service. KPM employees' local knowledge made them valuable in dual roles. Ultimately, this connection led to his transport aboard the Junyo Maru.

Life in the Dutch East Indies, Captivity, and Family Connections

Hille Kleinstra first traveled to the Dutch East Indies in 1921 (age 17) and settled there. The 1925 marriage consent document confirms that while living in Amsterdam, he already planned his return with his future wife, with his father's formal approval.

He was described by H. Hoendermis (son of his first cousin Evert) as "very progressive and well-educated" hoendermis-account. Hille maintained correspondence with the Hoendermis family in The Hague from around 1933 until his death. This connection began when Hille visited his cousin Evert's bakery in The Hague (~1933), and Evert's wife noted the strong resemblance between the cousins.

His family ties were strong. After one of his brothers, Johannes Jacobus (1908-1929), died tragically in Canada, Hille traveled there. A passenger manifest from the S.S. Duchess of York documents his return journey, arriving in Liverpool from Montreal on July 23, 1932. Onboard were Hille (age 28, occupation "Clerk", last residence "Dutch East Indies"), his mother Ytje Kleinstra (age 52, last residence "Canada"), and his sister Jucoba Kleinstra (age 18, occupation listed as "Saleslady", last residence "Canada"), all noted as Dutch citizens in transit to Rotterdam. This document substantiates the family account of Hille bringing relatives back from Canada following his brother's death. After helping resettle family in Aalsmeer, he returned to the Dutch East Indies earlier than planned in October 1939 aboard the "Marnix van St. Aldegonde" from Lisbon to Batavia, due to concerns about the impending war in Europe².

As a KNIL Sergeant First Class, Hille participated in the defence of the Dutch East Indies against the Japanese invasion. According to his Japanese POW card (POW #18424) and Onsland POW database, he was captured on March 8, 1942, in Bandung, Java, following the Dutch surrender there. Bandung was a strategic military and administrative center featuring colonial New Indies Style architecture. His initial arrest location is recorded as Tjiandjur/Radjamandala, coinciding with the capitulation of the Dutch East Indies (which officially occurred March 9, 1942)³.

During captivity, he was held at multiple POW camps. Records from the Java POW Camp system show him from June 23 to August 15, 1942, as prisoner #18424 at No.1 Branch Camp (爪I - ジャワ俘虜収容所第1分所) and later #12924 at Main Camp (爪本 - ジャワ俘虜収容所本所).

While Hille was a POW, my great-grandmother Maria Hendrina Reedeker and their three children resided in Java. His Japanese POW card gives "PLEDANG 15 BOGOR, JAVA N.INDIE" as the notification address. Paledang is a historic district in central Bogor (formerly Buitenzorg), a colonial hill station. Family photographs labeled "Pledang 15, Buitenzorg, Indonesië" confirm this address. It matches the current location of the HKBP Paledang Church at Jl. Paledang No.15. Historical records hkbp-history confirm this building was residential (a student dormitory) in the 1940s and converted to a church only in 1960.

The Japanese occupation (1942-1945) was brutal. Millions of Indonesians became forced labourers (Rōmusha). Allied POWs and civilians faced harsh conditions in camps (Jappenkampen) and during forced labor projects.

The Tragic Fate of the Junyo Maru

On 16 September 1944, the Junyo Maru departed Tanjung Priok (Jakarta) for Sumatra. This aging cargo vessel (built 1913, Glasgow, 5,065 GRT, formerly Ardgorm, Hartland Point, Hartmore, Sureway) was owned by Baba Shoiji K.K. and in poor condition junyo-nl-wiki. Converted into a "hell ship" with makeshift bunks, it was severely overcrowded with approx. 4,200 Javanese Rōmusha (in holds 1-2) and 2,300 Allied POWs (in holds 3-4), including my great-grandfather.

The Allied POWs included Dutch, British, Australian, and American personnel. The Dutch contingent (~300 KNIL military: Dutch, Ambonese, Manadonese) included several Surinamese soldiers (10 perished) and former members of the Batavia City Guard. Conditions were appalling: almost no latrines, insufficient water, few life rafts, many already ill junyo-project.

On 18 September 1944, off Sumatra's west coast, HMS Tradewind (unaware of the POWs) fired four torpedoes from ~1,800 yards. Two hit, and the Junyo Maru sank by the stern in ~15 minutes at 2°53′S 101°11′E (coordinates confirmed on Hille's POW card).

The HMS Tradewind's patrol report (Lt Cdr S.L.C. Maydon, Admiralty records ADM 199/1863, using zone -6.5 time) details the attack sequence around 15:51. According to uboat.net records, Tradewind was on its 4th war patrol, having left Trincomalee Sep 8, and was operating with a defective high-power periscope, limiting target assessment. Japanese records note the sinking time as 18:30-18:45, likely due to time zone differences.

The next morning, escort vessels rescued only 680 survivors (out of over 6,500). They were taken to Pekanbaru for forced labor on the Sumatra Railway. This sinking is one of WWII's worst maritime disasters by death toll.

Tragically, my great-grandfather Hille Kleinstra died on 18 September 1944, age 40. Japanese POW records list him as " missing." The Dutch War Graves Foundation records his death "in Ind. Oceaan nabij Benkoelen a/b Junyo Maru" (in the Indian Ocean near Bengkulu aboard Junyo Maru), classifying him as a military POW deceased during maritime transport.

The Sumatra Railway Connection

Had Hille Kleinstra survived the sinking, he would have been among those forced onto the Sumatra Railway. This 220 km railway (Muaro-Pekanbaru) was built by the Japanese (May 1944 - Aug 1945) using forced labor: ~6,600 Allied POWs (mainly Dutch Indo-Europeans, plus British, US, Australian, NZ) and tens of thousands of Indonesian Rōmusha. Conditions were brutal (disease, malnutrition, mistreatment). By completion (Aug 15, 1945 - Japan's surrender day), 703 Allied POWs and an estimated 20,000 Rōmusha had died⁴.

Historical Context: Occupation and Camps

When Germany invaded the Netherlands (May 1940), Hille was 36. By March 1942, he was caught in the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies. His arrest near Bandung coincided with the Dutch surrender.

The Cimahi region, near Bandung (including villages like Melong), was a major Dutch military center. After the Japanese takeover in 1942, its military installations were often converted into POW camps or internment facilities (Jappenkampen). The harsh conditions in these camps and during transport on "hell ships" like the Junyo Maru were characteristic of the Japanese occupation.

Aftermath and Family Legacy

After Hille's death in 1944, Maria Hendrina Reedeker and their three children remained in the Dutch East Indies through the difficult war years. My grandmother, Maria Hendrina Kleinstra, endured traumatic experiences as a teenager under occupation, including being forced to dig graves.

Post-war, the family repatriated. Passenger records onsland-repatriation show Maria Hendrina Kleinstra (Sr.), Maria Hendrina (Jr.), Jacoba Annie, and Willem Jan departing Singapore on December 8, 1945, aboard the Dutch ship Nieuw Amsterdam, arriving in Amsterdam via Southampton on January 1, 1946.

Following Indonesian independence, the children's paths diverged:

Maria Hendrina (Mies) Kleinstra: Married Josephus W. M. van Lier, moved to South Africa Oct 14, 1958⁵. Had son Hille Dominicus van Lier (my father). Mies preserved family history and war stories.
Willem Jan (Wim) Kleinstra: Moved to Haarlem, NL (Ostadestraat 5) Jul 1, 1958⁶. Married Petronella G. M. (Elly) Werkhoven. Children: Florence Maria (Floor), Willem Otto (Willem), Johanna Jantina Maria (Janneke).
Jacoba Annie (Coos) Kleinstra: Moved to Utrecht, NL (Prof. van Bemmelenlaan 10) Jun 3, 1961⁶. Died Oct 19, 1993 (age 63).

My great-grandmother Maria Hendrina Reedeker returned to the Netherlands, living in Haarlem (P.C. Boutensstraat 118 I) as of Aug 1961⁷. She passed away in 2003 war-graves-foundation, nearly 60 years after her husband.

Hille Kleinstra's body was never recovered; he has a "Zeemansgraf" (sailor's grave)⁸. He is commemorated by the Dutch War Graves Foundation and on the Borger War Monument in his hometown (Torenlaan, 9531JH, Borger), honoring locals lost during the occupation and soldiers lost in the DEI.

Specific Junyo Maru memorials exist: a plaque at Ereveld Leuwigajah, Indonesia (1984); the 'Japanse Zeetransporten' monument in Bronbeek, Arnhem; and a plaque in Ereveld Loenen chapel (1986). Annual commemorations occur on September 18.

Conclusion

This research honors my great-grandfather Hille Kleinstra's memory. Though his life was tragically cut short by the Junyo Maru sinking, his legacy continues through his descendants.

His service and sacrifice during World War II are part of our family story and the wider history of the Dutch colonial presence, the Pacific War, and the transition to Indonesian independence. Documenting his life helps ensure the experiences of that era – encompassing colonial life, the horrors of WWII, and the subsequent diaspora – are remembered, highlighting resilience across generations and continents.

Additional Sources and Bibliography

Frisian Names and Etymology

Indonesian Geography and Historical Sites

Dutch-Indonesian Cultural History

Japanese POW Card ↩
Passenger lists show the Kleinstra family departed on the ship "Marnix van St. Aldegonde" from Lisbon to Batavia in October 1939. Source: "Het Vaderland" newspaper (16-10-1939). ↩
Dutch War Sources Network (Netwerk Oorlogsbronnen) timeline confirms the Netherlands East Indies capitulated to Japanese forces on March 9, 1942. Source: https://www.oorlogsbronnen.nl/tijdlijn/Hille-Kleinstra/02/78955 ↩ ↩
The Sumatra Railway Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, England, unveiled Aug 15, 2001, commemorates these victims. ↩
Emigration registered Oct 14, 1958 (Amersfoort municipality doc, Oct 9, 1961). Family actually departed Oct 20, 1958 aboard SS De Waterman (family photos). ↩
Municipality of Amersfoort relocation records, dated October 9, 1961. ↩ ↩
Oorlogsgravenstichting records, form dated February 6, 1964. ↩
Dutch National Archives, file reference NL-HaNA_2.19.255.01_78955A. ↩