Damiaen Joan van Doorninck
Encyclopedia
Damiaen J. van Doorninck (29 August 1902 Vught
- 24 September 1987, Mynachlog-ddu
) was a Dutch
officer (lieutenant in the Royal Netherlands Navy Reserve) and a POW in Colditz
.
. He refused to give his word of honour not to harm German interest and became a POW. He was conversant in cosmography
and advanced mathematics
, and he lectured interested Dutch and British
prisoners at Colditz Castle
on both, in particular he taught geodesy
to Patrick Reid
.
While in Colditz, he invented a device which, when attached to a micrometer, could obtain measurements accurate to within a tenth of a millimetre of any lock
. He was therefore able to manufacture a key
to fit any such lock in Colditz. He lectured other prisoners on how to use this device correctly, a course that lasted six months.
On 9 September 1942 van Doorninck and British Lieutenant H. N. Fowler
became one of the lucky few who escaped Colditz. Slipping with four others through a guard office and a storeroom dressed as German officers and Polish orderlies, they managed to make it out of the Castle. The others were unfortunately recaptured and only van Doorninck and Fowler reached Switzerland
.
Vught
Vught is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands. It is a town where lots of commuters live and has recently been named "Best place to live" by the Dutch magazine Elsevier.-Politics:...
- 24 September 1987, Mynachlog-ddu
Mynachlog-ddu
Mynachlog-ddu is a village, and community in the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The community also includes the parish of Llangolman.There are two places of worship in the village: the Anglican church of St...
) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
officer (lieutenant in the Royal Netherlands Navy Reserve) and a POW in Colditz
Colditz
Colditz is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, near Leipzig, located on the banks of the river Mulde. The town has a population of 5,188 ....
.
POW
In May 1940 he was aide de camp to the Dutch supreme commander, general Henri WinkelmanHenri Winkelman
Henri Gerard Winkelman was a Dutch General best known for his command of the Dutch troops during the German invasion of the Netherlands.-Pre-war:...
. He refused to give his word of honour not to harm German interest and became a POW. He was conversant in cosmography
Cosmography
Cosmography is the science that maps the general features of the universe, describing both heaven and Earth...
and advanced mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and he lectured interested Dutch and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
prisoners at Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. Used as a workhouse for the indigent and a mental institution for over 100 years, it gained international fame as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for...
on both, in particular he taught geodesy
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
to Patrick Reid
Patrick Reid
Patrick Robert "Pat" Reid, MBE, MC was a British Army officer and historical author of non-fiction. As a British Prisoner of War during World War II, he was held captive at Colditz Castle when it was designated Oflag IV-C. Reid was one of the few to escape from Colditz, crossing the border into...
.
While in Colditz, he invented a device which, when attached to a micrometer, could obtain measurements accurate to within a tenth of a millimetre of any lock
Lock (device)
A lock is a mechanical or electronic fastening device that is released by a physical object or secret information , or combination of more than one of these....
. He was therefore able to manufacture a key
Key (lock)
A key is an instrument that is used to operate a lock. A typical key consists of two parts: the blade, which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow, which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. The blade is usually intended to...
to fit any such lock in Colditz. He lectured other prisoners on how to use this device correctly, a course that lasted six months.
On 9 September 1942 van Doorninck and British Lieutenant H. N. Fowler
Hedley Fowler
Hedley Nevile 'Bill' Fowler MC was a Royal Air Force pilot who became a prisoner of war and successfully escaped from Oflag IV-C at Colditz during the Second World War.-Early life:Fowler was born in London on 8 June 1916...
became one of the lucky few who escaped Colditz. Slipping with four others through a guard office and a storeroom dressed as German officers and Polish orderlies, they managed to make it out of the Castle. The others were unfortunately recaptured and only van Doorninck and Fowler reached Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
External links
- http://www.onderscheidingen.nl/decorandi/wo2/dec_d02.html