Hello everybody,

Once again I hope you can help me. 

I am looking for the circumstances leading to the death of Jan Minnema. All I know was that he was born in Soerabaya in the 1920's. his parents were Wilhelmina Morbeck and Jacobus Minnema. he had 2 brothers -  Henri Melle Minnema and Jack Minnema. I have been told he was a member of the Merchant Marines and "he fell off a boat and drowned".Nobody knows if he was married,had children or if he was found.

Thank you in advance

Libby Elfrink

Hallo Libby

Heb wel deze gevonden maar weet niet of het de juiste is.

Wat zijn de volledige namen  van hem?

http://srs.ogs.nl/slachtoffer/104469/jan-george-minnema/

Krant van 1924 Minnema Morbeck bevallen van een zoon

Hier

Overlijden van mevr.Minnema Morbeck

Hier

1928 een zoon ( dit zal Jack zijn)

Hier

Er zouden 4 kinderen moeten zijn.

 http://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-mennema/I899.php

Geen zoon gevonden 1926

In mei 1957 vaart ene  H W Minnema bij de KRL op de Mataram als dekjongen.

http://www.krlmuseum.nl/crew/index.php?cmd=&naam=minnema&functie=&schip=&jaar=&aantal=10#resultaten

Evert Smit

This is all I can found about Jan Minnema

Jan Minnema

1929 - 1948

Geboren: Ongeveer 1929

  Nederlands Indie

  Op zee verdronken

There was a sister Rose Marie born in Embong Woengoe 13, Soerabaja 2 juni 19.. priivacy

De Heer en Mevrouw:

J. K. MINNEMA — Morbeck

berichten hierbij de geboorte van

hun dochter ROSE-MARIE

R. K. Ziekenhuis „St. Vincentlus

& Paulo"

~ Ernbong Woer.goe 13 —

Soerabaja, 2 Juni ....   5187

Hi Renee and Elisabeth,

Unfortunately that is all the information I have.

Jan George seems to be correct. 

This week I found the grandchildren of Wilhelmina Morbeck in America who didn't know anything about their Morbeck background. The children of Henri Melle Minnema. I asked the son today if he knew what happened to his uncle and that is all he knew. Apparently their dad didn't talk about his history very much. I have also found the son of Jack (both Jack and Henri are deceased). It was a shock to them to know they have 2nd cousins scattered all over the world. Nobody has ever mentioned a daughter before which is interesting but I can't work out what her name is Renee. 

Going by the dates of the other  2 boys I think once again you have solved my question.

Thank you both so much

Libby

Sorry Renee,

Just saw her name - Rose Marie

Thank you

Removed.

Ben

First Name:HenriMiddle Initial:MLast Name:MinnemaBirth Date:1924-06-20Death Date:1995-03-12Last Residence ZIP:48906 (Lansing, Clinton County, Michigan)Birth Month:06Birth Day:20Birth Year:1924Death Month:03Death Day:12Death Year:1995SSN:367-40-7953State of SSN Issue:Michigan

Maby

http://names.whitepages.com/Rosemary/Minnema

Thank you Elisabeth but that lady is too young.Interesting though as I found 2 of thr grandchildren in Lansing but they know nothing about an aunt. Henri's children told me their father spoke little of the family and the 4 children were extremely young when their parents died.

I must see if I can find out who cared for them.

Thank you once again for your help

Libby

Thank you Renee.

That does help me

Libby

Jan-George Minnema. Zie gegevens die kloppen op www.oorlogsgravenstichting.nl

Hij was niet getrouwd en had geen kinderen.

Mijn moeder was Rose pMarie Minnema. Geboren 2-6-1930 te Soerabaja. Overleden 11-3-2019 te Den Haag in Nederland

Broers Jack( Leiden, Nederland) en Melle Minnema (Michigan, VS). Allebei reeds overleden.

Mijn naam is Beate Egberts. Ik ben haar dochter uit Nederland.

Since I saw recent activity in this topic:... also recently, the files of the Dutch War Graves Foundation ('Oorlogsgravenstichting') have been declassified and released for online publication. There is a file on Jan George to be found here:

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/index/nt00446/60b39d96-a136-11e8-828a-00505693001d

Highlights:

• deceased 31st of August, 1947 on the Indian Ocean, near Tjilatjap (which is south of the island of Java). This information was already known. What is new: the scans of the paper trail: 

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/2.19.255.01/invnr/104469A/file/NL-HaNA_2.19.255.01_104469A_0001

• Buried: seamen's grave ('zeemansgraf'). Place of burial: 'body not recovered (or exhumed) - drifted off into the sea'
• Army number: 14710268, army unit: 4th Esc. Panserdivisie 'V' brigade (which is an armored division)
• Cause of death: 'according to a telegram of the military mail he drowned while taking a bath in the sea'. 

So: he was not in the Merchant Marines or Navy, nor did "he fell off a boat and drowned". He was an army soldier, probably having a good time on the beach during troubled times ("politionele actie 1947 midden Java" - which is a controversial period in Dutch colonial history)

The answer comes years after the question was asked, but that's what happens when files get declassified.

PS: This is where Tjilatjap ( today: 'Cilacap' ) is on Java:

Thank you. You were very helpfull.

In het standaardwerk "Laatste Bericht" van Jack Kooistra komt op blz. 551 het volgende voor:
"Minnema, Jan George: Pasoeran 21 julli 1925 - 31 augustus 1947 Tjilatjap, Soldaat II, stbnr. K 14710268, van 4e Eskadron Pantserwagens, Zoon van Jacobus Klazes Minnema en Wilhelmine Morbeck. Minnema is tijdens het baden in de Indische Oceaan voor de kust van Tjilatjap verdronken. Zijn stoffelijk overschot is nimmer geborgen. Zeemansgraf. OGS: gedenkboek 38.".

Thanx for your reaction.