Legitimatiekaart militair gezag Willem Adriaan Fop Smit
Below you see an identification card of the Military Authority belonging to Mr. Willem Adriaan Fop Smit. Willem was born on 13 June 1914 in Kinderdijk, in the municipality of Nieuw‑Lekkerland. His parents were Willem Smit and Cornelia Willemina van Aken. After attending the H.B.S. for five years, he was enlisted on 3 September 1934 in the 7th Artillery Regiment as a regular conscript from the municipality of Alblasserdam. On 1 January 1938, Willem was appointed and commissioned as a reserve second lieutenant of Special Services with the Volunteer Landstorm Corps, Vaartuigendienst (boat services). On 12 April 1939, Willem was transferred to the Military Aviation, but he was later reassigned to the Vaartuigendienst (boat services), because during the events in May 1940 he served as commander of the Vaartuigendienst (boat services) detachment, Lek Group. The quarters of this detachment were located in Fort Vreeswijk near Utrecht. During the May days, the detachment used its vessels mainly for reconnaissance and security duties. 1 - 2
Willem came through the events of May 1940 unharmed. After the liberation, he served as a first lieutenant with the authority troops (Gezagstroepen), although his service record does not indicate where or for how long. The identification card is signed by Military Commissioner J.H. Houtzager, who was the Military Commissioner of the Dordrecht district.
The Military Authority was the temporary military administrative body that had to restore order and governance in the Netherlands immediately after the liberation. Because the police, mayors and distribution services often failed to function, the Military Authority took charge in liberated areas. Under Lieutenant General Kruls, it ensured security, food distribution, the arrest of collaborators and the restart of civil administration. In Dordrecht, this responsibility lay with Military Commissioner J.H. Houtzager, who also coordinated the deployment of the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten. The Military Authority remained active until the regular government was functioning sufficiently again and was then gradually dissolved.
After his time with the Military Authority, Willem was assigned on 29 October 1948 to the Pontonniers (Army Maritime Engineers) Regiment. On 1 May 1950, he received an honorable discharge due to physical deficiencies.
the Identification document
Battle reports Detachement Vaartuigendienst (Boat services) Group Lek - 409 gevechtsverslagen NIMH (battle reports Netherlands Institute Military History)
