Bernard Cornelis Fock

Joined the dutch marines and worked his way up the ranks to 1. lieutenant. During WW2 he served on the dutch torpedo boat Van Nes which sank after a japanes bombraid near Batavia. Read following battle descriotion:

Ondergang van Hr Ms Van Nes in de Java zee

Charles’ study at the Royal Institute of the Navy went well and at 20 he was commissioned an officer of the Navy. World War II found him as a First Officer on Hr Ms Sumatra, which brought Princess Juliana and her daughters to Canada. Charles then became commanding officer on Hr Ms Van Nes, stationed in Soerabaja. He was the youngest commanding officer in the Royal Dutch Navy.

In February 1942 the Van Nes was directed to accompany KPM's Sloet van de Beele, a troop transport ship, from Billiton to Java. On the 17th they were well under way in the Gaspar Straights. Mid-morning a Japanese reconnaissance plane showed up, but soon left. Singapore had fallen into Japanese hands on February 15th after a swift campaign starting with a landing in northern Malaysia. The Japanese did this with less tanks, ships, personnel than the British, but with a clear superiority in the air. 

They were now expanding their march southward into the Dutch East Indies. Early afternoon several Japanese bombers and dive-bombers arrived at the scene. The air attack lasted more than two hours. Helmsman Lataster praised the calm of the commanding officer who gave precise, clear orders, a long time avoiding major damage by skilful manoeuvring. The Dutch directed their guns to the Japanese with great tenacity, keeping the Japanese planes at a respectful distance. The Vickers anti-aircraft guns would, however, heat up, had to be cooled regularly, and had to be talked into working again with hammer blows.

The end came with a direct hit to the Van Nes at midships. The ship broke into two halves and began to sink. We know the last minutes of Charles through an evocative report of the radio officer J. Doorenbos. He described the last moments of the ship and her commanding officer in, as he says, telegram-style:

Getting outside I didn't see the ship's stem anymore. Much steam and smoke. I couldn't see if there was a fire. Also later when other survivors talked about a fire, I could not confirm that from my own observation. The fore part of the ship already was heavily heeling to port. I remember not to be sure whether to go to port or to starboard. Did first go to starboard. Heeling was so great that I could not jump overboard on that side. Somebody shouted: 'Leave ship!'. Walked or slid to port. Fore part of the ship still making speed (at the moment of the direct hit the ship was at full speed ahead of about 30 miles). Several people already had jumped into the water.

I didn't care to just jump into the water and tried to get the balsa wood raft, which was fixed vertically on portside of the bridge, overboard. It was pretty simple, being helped by the ship's heeling. At the moment that I got the raft over the railing somebody from the upper bridge jumped on, or better in the net of the raft. It was commanding officer Lagaaij, I asked whether he had hurt himself he said: "No." Together shoved the raft overboard. Ship still making some headway. Said to the commanding officer, pointing at the water: "Go ahead". He answered: "You first". I jumped overboard. When I surfaced from my dive, the fore part of the ship capsized and I found myself between the two pipes, which however did not hit me. Loud hissing. Stern not to be seen. Ship ended right after the back pipe. Much oil on the water, some centimetres thick. Was then really afraid for fire, because in a flash surrounded by oil.

Swam away. How I don't know. Reached a raft. Don't know if it was "my" raft. Did no longer see commanding officer. Was he, because he jumped after me, hit by steam and hot gas from the pipe?

The Van Nes went under on February 17, 1942.

Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina conferred the Bronze Lion to Charles Lagaaij with the commendation:

As Commanding Officer of Our Destroyer "Van Nes" has demonstrated courage, high morale, vigour, perseverance, very good leadership qualities and skilful manoeuvring during the air attacks of Japanese bombers and dive-bombers on February 16 (note: should be 17) 1942 on his ship in the Java Sea, which attacks lasted more than two hours and with which his ship at the end received a series of direct hits during a combined attack of several groups of airplanes from diverse directions, which attack could not be avoided and from which his ship sank immediately and he lost his life.

The Bronze Lion is after the Military Williams Order, Netherlands' highest military order.

Uit: Bird’s eye, Rob Lagaay (C/BBAA), 2001

Bernard entered the Royal Dutch Navy as an officer and was a Lt 1st CL (Lieutenant Commander) at the time of his death (i.e.equal rank with the Captain.) He was First Officer and Gunnery officer on the Van Nes. He did not die at sea but was picked up after 96 hours in the water by a Dutch flying boat and brought back to Batavia where he died probably of exposure. He was awarded the Bronze Lion for his efforts....

• ********************************* Bernard Fock was the son of a Dutch Admiral and Nephew of the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies. He did not "work his way up the ranks" but entered the Navy (not the marines) as an officer cadet and at the time of WW2 was a lieutenant first class (Lieutenant Commander in the British Navy) in the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine). He was the first officer on Hr Ms Van Nes and also the Gunnery officer. The Dutch Military had been encouraged to place troops on Biliton Island in the Gapsar Straits by the Allied command, but after the fall of Singapore and the Japanese attack on Pelembang they decided that it could not be held and needed to be evacuated. The KPM liner Sloet Van de Beele was tasked with this job and loaded with approximately 1000 people including troops and civilians. She was met on the morning of the 17th by the Dutch Destroyer Hr Ms Van Nes. They were spotted in the mid morning by scouting planes from the Heavy Cruiser Mogami. Aircraft from the Light carrier Ryojo attacked the pair sinking the Sloet in the first pass but due to the excellent ship's handling and antiaircraft fire it took them them several hours to sink the Van Nes. The Captain, Charles Lagaay died with his ship but Bernard along with about half the crew managed to get off. The survivors them spent 96 hours in the water before they were picked up by Dutch flying boats. Bernard was amongst the survivors but died of exposure at Batavia a few days later. He was awarded the Bronze Lion for his part in this action.