Naval Air Base Valkenburg/

Naval Warehouse Service (NWS).

On July 1, 1987, I was temporarily posted to the Warehouse Branch for aviation equipment there until January 4, 1988. I was given the position of head of the warehouse branch there and as such fell under the responsibility of the head of the Naval Warehouse Service (NWS) at the Directorate of Materiel (DMKM) in The Hague. Also under my responsibility was a depot at Hoek van Holland. Where mainly marine models of naval ships that had been built over the years were stored. There were also some artillery and a lot of gun sights.

During that period I was "inducted" by the supply officer of the Naval Air Base, Jaap de Lange. He lived up to his name because he was also tall. I worked very pleasantly with him during that period. I still see him occasionally now at an OVA country day. (An annual event for officers of administration). Furthermore, I was also assisted from the Hague by Eef Koopman, a senior colleague who was working in the Naval Warehouse Service (NWS) at the Directorate of Materiel (DMKM) as deputy chief NWS.

As head of the warehouse branch, I had to regularly attend the NWS meetings. This happened, if I remember correctly, every two months, and each time at a different NWS location. For example, one time I had a "home game" in my hometown of Weesp. The Clothing Warehouse was located there at that time.

My right hand man was the then adjutant Jan Krop who later also became a professional officer. Not a stranger to me because I had worked with him before at the Naval Training Camp at Hilversum when we were both still corporals. I also saw many acquaintances from my time at Valkenburg with Squadron 320.

In Valkenburg I also had my first experience as an officer of the guard. That took some getting used to, but in the beginning you were attached to an older officer, so you were also introduced to that discipline. During that period I attended a fourteen-day course at the Royal Naval Institute (RNI) (known among professional officers as the "knives and forks course", ha, ha). It was an instructive one in itself. You were taught a number of practical things that you might have to deal with in the future as a watch officer and a little maritime history and maritime law. I happened to have little to do with that in my later days in The Hague and Flushing. Because on Valkenburg I had my last watch in my service. In other words, from January 1988 until my Functional Age Dismissal (FAD) in June 1996, I never went on watch again. That's nice.

All in all, I had an instructive time in that short period of about six months, and my appointment did bring a complete change in my naval life. It started with your appointment, which took place at Valkenburg in a very impersonal way. Probably because the airbase was so large and the naval leadership had decided to simultaneously appoint all petty officer pilots as officer pilots. That included a congratulatory visit to the staff officer during induction and that's all I can remember. That actually disappointed me a bit about the Navy. I am sure if I had stayed at the LOGSCHOOL the appointment would have been officially announced in front of the entire crew. But later that day, an appointment reception was still given in the officers' quarters.

To my great surprise, I then ran into a good friend of my late brother. He was a very good helicopter pilot. He had meanwhile risen to the rank of captain lieutenant commander at sea pilot. A few years later, he died of cancer.

Images and additional information

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

The goods flow chart at the Naval Warehouse Service.

Rank badge of a lieutenant at sea second class youngest category with accompanying officer's cap.