Songbook of Conscripted Soldier Willem Boer

In this page, you will find the songbook of conscript private Willem Boer. Private Boer was assigned to the Dekkingsdetachement Willemsdorp ( Willemsdorp Covering Detachment ) as part of the 6th Infantry Regiment. Private Boer was born in and lived in Sliedrecht. Many soldiers of the 6th Infantry Regiment came from the Dordrecht region. Sergeant van der Hum was also assigned to this regiment. In the early morning of May 10, 1940, Private Boer was on guard duty at the Moerdijk traffic bridge. Due to the fighting with German paratroopers who were attempting to quickly capture the bridges, Private Boer was wounded in his left shoulder, abdomen, and leg. The wounds would prove to be fatal. Although he received immediate care on the spot, he only arrived at the municipal hospital in Dordrecht on May 11, 1940. He passed away on May 14, 1940, from his injuries. This made conscript Private Boer one of the twelve casualties of the Willemsdorp Covering Detachment. *1

The songbook you see in the photo to the right and below was the personal songbook of Private Boer. It is a standard song collection for the Dutch army, filled with march songs from various military units. March songs were not only a means to keep morale high but also excellent for keeping the rhythm during long marches. It is not surprising that soldiers were required to know certain songs. The book contains the name and unit of Private Boer. The name of Private Boer has been inscribed on the monument of the Willemsdorp Covering Detachment. He is buried in the general cemetery in Sliedrecht.