大象传媒

Bob, my father, escaped Java in 1942 with the last ship "Kota Baru" from Tjilatjap as Dutch Royal Navy cadet together with the class of 42.
He was transported to the UK and continued his training at Enys House in Cornwell, wich was the Dutch Royal Navy Academy in excile. I have a diary written by him about his escape and about his stay in the UK untill he left as a Navel Officer to join the Dutch submarine fleet in the Far East, beginning of 1944.He only wanted to fight the Japenese as his parents were interned in Java.
At the same time my mother, who lived in Penarth joined the Wrens and was sent to Colombo to join the staff of Mountbatton.
As it happend both ended up on the same ship to the East (City of ???).
They met in the diningroom and it seemed to be love at first site.
They spent some time together at the Gall Face Hotel in Colombo untill Bob was ordered to join the submarine K 11 in Bombay. It is unclear wether they were engaged during that first split or they met during several visits of the K11 in Colombo.
At some stage late 1944 they desided to get married. Dorethy had to ask permission and was ordered to see Lord Mountbatten, who made it a point to warn all his young Wrens NOT to marry before the war was over! Leave was subsequently denied.
Dorethy's best Wrenfriend was engaged to the pilot of a DC3 of Mountbatten's staff. She was smuggled on board of the first available flight to Bombay stuufed right in the rear of the plane wich was loaded with top brass. After take-off a brigade-general stood up and asked her "what the hell" a Wren first class was doing on this flight. She explained and he said "finally we have reason to open that last bottle of brandy on this plane".
They all came to the wedding! Unfortunately, on that day Bob had left port on emergency patrole and she was married by proxy in Bombay.
She had to go back immidiatly as she was on leave without permission. On arrival in Colombo she was arrested and put in prison.

Meanwile all the 6 Dutch subs in the region new that Bob had married 'Doortje' and a few days later a Dutch sub (O21?) enterde Colombo harbour and wanted to visit 'Doortje Le Coultre'. Sorry, said the UK MP, she is in prison. The Commander of O21 stated that they were now holding a Dutch lady with passport.
After some hassle she was dishonourbly discharged from HMS Navy, only to be reinstated in the 1960's.
Unfortunately they deforced in 1953

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