Vice-Admiral Alfred de Booy
Born Buitenzorg [Bogor], Java May 29, 1901 - Died 1990
Alfred de Booy was the first naval attaché in London since Captain K.F. Sluys had been withdrawn in 1922. As such, he was invaluable by maintaining close contact with the British Admiralty during the mobilization period (September, 1939 - May, 1940), when for example, a very unneutral arrangement was made with regard to a direct line of communication between the Dutch naval staff an the British Admiralty.
A relatively large contingent of ships and personnel managed to escape to Britain in May 1940, where they continued the fight against the Germans. In the absence of Admiral Furstner during the first few days after May 10, 1940, De Booy acted as "deputy Commander in Chief" and as such, made numerous arrangements with the Admiralty, which eventually led to a fruitful alliance between the Netherlands and British Royal Navy
Later, when a more permanent command structure had been organized, De Booy and Furstner manage to remove most of the distrust of the Royal Navy. There were numerous (mostly untrue) stories of betrayal and socalled "5th column activities" during the German invasion. From that point onwards, the Royal Netherlands Navy became a valued ally against the Germans.
De Booy's untiring efforts were recognized later in the war, when he was given command of the frigate Johan Maurits van Nassau, later combined with the command over the 37th Escort Group, even though De Booy hadn't been to sea in years.
After the war, De Booy would eventually reach the highest post achievable, that of Commander-in-Chief of Dutch naval forces (Bevelhebber der Zeestrijdkrachten, or BdZ).
| Ranks |
| Midshipman |
September 6, 1918 |
| Sublieutenant |
August 18, 1921 |
| Lieutenant |
August 18, 1923 |
| Lieutenant-Commander |
August 21, 1931 |
| Commander (acting) |
February 11, 1942 |
| Commander |
August 16, 1942 |
| Captain (acting) |
March 2, 1946 |
| Captain |
May 1, 1946 |
| Commodore (acting) |
July 1, 1949 |
| Rear-Admiral |
March 1, 1951 |
| Vice-Admiral (acting) |
August 10, 1951 |
| Vice-Admiral |
March 1, 1953 |
| Retired |
March 28, 1956 |
| Postings |
| Gunnery Officer, pre-dreadnought Zeven Provinciën |
August, 1921 |
- |
February, 1922 |
| Naval Barracks Oedjong |
February, 1922 |
- |
November, 1922 |
| Submarines K IV, K V and K I |
1922 |
- |
1923 |
| Armored cruiser Gelderland |
1924 |
- |
|
| Pilot Boat Loodsboot No.6 |
|
- |
|
| Destroyer Kortenaer |
January, 1928 |
- |
|
| Detached as observer to K.N.I.L in Bandoeng |
May, 1931 |
- |
June, 1931 |
| Light cruiser Sumatra |
1931 |
- |
1931 |
| Minelayer Krakatau |
|
- |
1932 |
Investigator of mutiny on board Zeven Provinciën
(then Deputy Chief of Staff, Surabaya Naval Base) |
1933 |
- |
1933 |
| Student High Naval Academy |
1934 |
- |
1936 |
| Dutch Naval Attaché, London |
May 8, 1936 |
- |
June 14, 1943 |
| Dutch Liaison Officer to the Admiralty |
May 10, 1940 |
- |
June 14, 1943 |
| Commanding Officer, frigate Johan Maurits van Nassau |
June 14, 1943 |
- |
October 23, 1944 |
| Commanding Officer, 37th Escort Group |
November 14, 1943 |
- |
October 23, 1944 |
| Liaison Officer to Senior Naval Officer, Antwerp |
October 23, 1944 |
- |
April 3, 1945 |
| Liaison Officer, Allied Headquarters, London |
June 14, 1945 |
- |
June 30, 1945 |
| Naval Staff, The Hague |
June 30, 1945 |
- |
February 2, 1946 |
| Commanding Officer, escort carrier Karel Doorman |
March 20, 1946 |
- |
November 21, 1947 |
| Chief of Staff, C-in-C Naval Forces N.E.I. |
January 27, 1948 |
- |
May 31, 1949 |
| Deputy Chief of Staff, Ministry of Naval Affairs |
July 1, 1949 |
- |
March 16, 1951 |
| Commanding Officer, Training Squadron No.5 on board Hr.Ms. Tromp |
April 16, 1951 |
- |
July 6, 1951 |
| Chief of Staff, Ministry of Naval Affairs |
August 1, 1951 |
- |
March 28, 1956 |
| Commander in Chief, Dutch naval forces |
August 1, 1951 |
- |
March 28, 1956 |
| Other activities |
| Director, later Vice-President, Verolme Verenigde Scheepswerven (Verolme United Dockyards) |
1956 |
- |
1966 |
| Awards |
| Dutch |
Commodore in the Order of the Dutch Lion (April 24, 1953) (NL.2)
Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau (January 30, 1941) (ON.4)
War Remembrance Cross, with 2 bars (October 12, 1949) (OHK.2)
Honorary Sign for Order and Peace (March 5, 1951) (OV)
Service Cross for naval officers, for 30 years' of service (December 6, 1951) (XXX) |
| Foreign |
Officer of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (December 18, 1941) (OBE.4)
Commander in the Legion of Merit of the USA (March 10, 1956) (LM.4)
Commodore 1st class in the Order of Danebrog of Denmark (June 24, 1952) (DB.2)
Grand Officer in the Order of Francisco de Miranda of Venezuela (February 6, 1956)
Grand Officer in the Order of the "Merito Naval" of Brazil (August 22, 1958) |
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