8. War pocket book and identification tag Martinus Machiel van der Hoek - Dordrecht
Below you will find the war pocket book and identification tag of Martinus Machiel van der Hoek. Martinus was born on 20 September 1905 in Dordrecht, the son of Johannes van der Hoek and Martina Wesseling. He worked as a factory laborer in a metal factory. On 25 March 1925, Martinus was called up as a regular conscript of the 1925 draft class from Dordrecht and assigned to the 3rd Infantry Regiment. He went on extended leave on 4 September 1925. On 10 March 1926, he was transferred to the 6th Infantry Regiment. He returned for a refresher exercise on 6 September 1938, after which he again went on extended leave on 22 September. Another refresher exercise followed on 11 September 1930, and on 27 September he once more went on extended leave. On 11 April 1939, Martinus was called up again due to premobilization under the Extraordinary Call-up for External Security (B.O.U.V.). He served with the Willemsdorp Covering Detachment and took part in the fighting at Willemsdorp in May 1940. During these battles, he was taken prisoner of war. His service record does not indicate when he was granted extended leave after the May days.
In addition to the war pocket book and identification tag, there is also a War Commemorative Cross with the May 1940 clasp, as well as two photographs of Martinus.
The War Commemorative Cross was instituted on 16 March 1944 by the Dutch government-in-exile in London and was awarded to Dutch military personnel and civilians who served with Dutch or Allied forces during the Second World War. Large numbers of these decorations were also awarded after the war. This particular War Commemorative Cross bears the clasp “Netherlands May 1940”, indicating that Martinus served during the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. Those who did not qualify for the War Commemorative Cross were, in many cases, eligible to apply for the Mobilisation War Cross instead.
