Vice-Admiral G.W. Stöve

Vice-Admiral Gerhard Wilhelm Stöve

Born Zijpe July 29, 1889 - Died The Hague September 24, 1977

Rear-Admiral Stöve was commanding officer of the NEI seagoing squadron at the start of the war, until his replacement by the famous Rear-Admiral Karel Doorman in June 1940. Stöve was then tasked with setting up a naval academy in the Netherlands East Indies, to replace the one in Holland. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, he was detached as a liaison officer for the Netherlands to the Combined Chiefs of Staff in Washington, the highest Allied military authority. He left the Netherlands East Indies on board the Dutch freighter Brastagi, which was attacked in the Carribean on March 6, 1942. Fortunately, the ship managed to evade the torpedo, and escaped.

Recalled to Britain in 1944, Stöve and his newly formed staff faced the enormous task of preparing for the return to Holland after it had been liberated. As Commander-in-Chief Naval Forces, Holland, he worked closely together with Vice-Admiral Dickens, RN, who was appointed Flag Officer, Holland. After retiring in 1946, Stöve spent a number of years as head of the Dutch Naval Historical Department.

Ranks
Midshipman 1st class [1] August 24, 1909
Lieutenant September 1, 1911
Lieutenant-Commander June 8, 1920
Commander April 16, 1931
Captain October 16, 1935
Rear-Admiral January 1, 1940
Vice-Admiral May 1, 1946
Retired May 1, 1946

Postings
Head, Torpedo Service, Netherlands East Indies 1926 - 1927
Head, Torpedo Service, Holland December 1, 1929 - November 1, 1932
Commanding Officer, light cruiser Sumatra November 1, 1933 - December 1, 1933
Commanding Officer, light cruiser Java November 15, 1934 - October 29, 1935
Director, Netherlands Naval War College July 1, 1936 - November 16, 1937
Commanding Officer, N.E.I. squadron December 7 1937 - June 17, 1940
Commanding Officer, Naval Academy Soerabaja August 1, 1940 - January 16, 1942
Dutch liaison to Combined Chiefs of Staff (Washington) March 14, 1942 - May 15, 1944
Supervisor preparation efforts for return RNN to Holland May 20, 1944 - May 10, 1945
C-in-C Naval Forces, Holland May 10, 1945 - April 16, 1946
Head, Naval Historical Section October 1, 1946 - April 1, 1950

Awards
Dutch Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion (NL)
Commodore in the Order of Orange Nassau (ON.3)
War Remembrance Cross (OHK)
Mobilization Cross 1914-1918 (Mk)
Service cross for naval officers, for 35 years' of service (XXXV)
Foreign Honorary Commander in the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Britain)
Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA)
Commodore in the Order of Leopold of Belgium (Belgium)

[1]: The rank of sublieutenant (Luitenant-ter-zee 3e klasse) had not been introduced at this time. The first were commissioned in 1915.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources
Klaassen/Van 't Haaff "Gedenkboek Adelborsten-opleiding te Willemsoord 1854-1954"
Von Münching "De Nederlandse Koopvaardijvloot in de Tweede Wereldoorlog", volume 2

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