The Naval Barracks "Hellevoetsluis"

From September 1966 to March 1, 1968 I was placed at the Naval Barracks "Hellevoetsluis". It was a small Barracks with a crew of about 60 men. There were a number of coastal and inshore minesweepers in conservation. And an operational inshore minesweeping squadron was stationed there.

As a supply team, we took care of both preserved ships and operational ones. We had our hands full with that small supply team.

The barracks were located on historic ground because that area was already part of the Navy in Michiel de Ruyter's time. Hellevoetsluis is a historic fortified town.

I was also "Tokobaas" during my placement there. That means that I was responsible for the ship's-shop. We call it the Toko, it was situated in the canteen. And I sold the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, toiletries and related items out there. Of course, an accounting had to be kept and once a week I transferred the money received to the cashier, which of course had to be correct. In general it went well.

Our warehouse was located in a historic building of the Genie and that was so large that the car hobby shop was also housed there and I had set up a dark room there that fell under my management. Because in that period, photography had become a true hobby for me and I also developed my own photos. And I also taught interested "boordplaatsers". Now, of course, you may be wondering, what are "boordplaatsers"? These are crew members who live too far from their placement to be able to travel back and forth in an acceptable manner on a daily basis and are therefore weekend travelers and they sleep on board during the week.

It was pleasant to serve there and I spent many a pleasant hour there in the evening, both with me in the Toko and in the town in the two local pubs, De "Steamboiler" and "Tonia".

In January 1968 we were the last to close the door there because the Barracks were closed due to the construction of a large Delta dam with a complex of locks, and it was no longer interesting for the Navy to keep the Barracks. Unfortunately.

Images and additional information

(Most images can be enlarged by clicking on them.)

During my placement in "Hellevoetsluis, the Mine Measures Services existed for 60 years. That was then celebrated with, among others, the singer Conny Vink.