Tjerk Hiddes de Vries
Tjerk Hiddes de Vries(6 August 1622 – 6 August 1666) was aDutch States Navyofficer. The French, who could not pronounce his name, called himKiërkides.His name was also given asTsjerk,TierckorTjerck.
Early life and childhood
[edit]Tierck was born in 1622 in the province ofFriesland(Frisia), in the village ofSexbierumas the son of a poor farmer called Hidde Siurds and his wife Swab Tjeirckdochter. At the age of twelve, he went to sea. In 1648 he married Nannetje Atses; the couple settled inHarlingen,Frisia's main port. In 1654 he had attained the rank of master.
Naval career
[edit]During theNorthern WarsTjerk was appointed captain of a troop transport, theJudith,that in 1658 was part of Lieutenant-AdmiralJacob van Wassenaer Obdam's expeditionary fleet against Sweden to reliefCopenhagen.In theBattle of the Soundthe sea soldiers of theJudithboarded and captured three Swedish vessels. He was rewarded for this by being appointed extraordinary captain with theAdmiralty of Frisia,one of the five autonomousDutch admiralties.
During theSecond Anglo-Dutch WarTjerk was appointed full captain on 27 March 1665. He commandedd' Elff Stedenin theBattle of Lowestoft,managing with great personal courage to free his ship from an entanglement with several other burning Dutch vessels, set alight by an English fireship. This fight was a severe defeat for the Dutch and those who by their bravery set a contrast to the general incompetence shown during the battle, were hailed as heroes by the populace. Tjerk in a written report severely criticised his fallen supreme commander Van Obdam. The Frisian admiralty board, in need to replace the also killed Lieutenant-Admiral of the Frisian fleet,Auke Stellingwerf,and sensing the public mood, appointed Tjerk Lieutenant-Admiral of Frisia on 29 June 1665. He thus jumped two ranks, not an uncommon occurrence for the Dutch navy in that century.
Normally the Frisian fleet was rather small, but in view of the emergency the province made a strong war effort, building 28 new vessels, Tjerk supervising the formation of the strongest naval force Frisia would ever send out.
In theFour Days Battleof 1666, Tjerk, now calling himselfDe Vries( "The Frisian" ), was second in command in the squadron of the Zealandic Lieutenant-AdmiralCornelis Evertsen the Elder.When the latter was killed on the first day, Tjerk became the squadron commander, still using as flagship hisGroot Frisia.He specially fought well on the last, fourth, day, strongly contributing to the Dutch victory. Six weeks later during theSt James's Day Battlehe was second in command of the van under Lieutenant-AdmiralJohan Evertsen.When this squadron failed to reform a proper keel line after a calm, and was mauled by the line of AdmiralRupert of the Rhine.Tjerk had an arm and a leg shot off; yet still in vain tried to rally his force. His crippled ship drifted away, only discovered by the Dutch rear underCornelis Trompthe next day. The wounded Frisian admiral was speedily brought ashore in Flushing by a yacht - but died from his wounds on his birthday, 6 August 1666.
After his death
[edit]Tjerk Hiddes is buried in theGrote Kerkof Harlingen; his grave memorial has been destroyed. Four days after his death his son Tjerk Hiddes the Younger was born, who shortly after his birth was promised a future captain's commission by the admiralty to honour the memory of his father. Tjerk junior would indeed become a naval captain. Hiddes de Vries was succeeded as Lieutenant-Admiral of Frisia on 16 March 1667 by BaronHans Willem van Aylva.
Tjerk in the 18th and 19th century gained in fame as a Frisianfolk hero.In 1932, a Dutch writer wrote a book about him:Tierck Hiddes, de Friesche zeeheld.
Dutch Navy ships
[edit]TheDutch Navyhas named several ships in his honour:
References
[edit] | This article includes alist of references,related reading,orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations.(February 2008) |
- Genootschap van Geschied, Fries (1895).De Vrije Fries.pp.373.Retrieved2007-05-31.
Tierck Hiddes de Vries.
- M. van der Duin, Kampen 1932,Tierck Hiddes, de Friesche zeeheld
- The FregatandThe nameplate
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
