This book is about Claude Belloni's real story, happening during WWII in the former Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia and Japan. His events also give insight into what others, who didn't survive, experienced. Furthermore he takes you with him on his amazing jungle expeditions in Dutch New Guinea.
In this book his youngest daughter Renée shared the life story of Claude, also named Boy and his family.
A significant event disrupted his peaceful life when he was just nineteen years old, drastically changing his direction. Drafted into the KNIL, the Royal Dutch East Indies Army, his tranquil existence was shattered when the Japanese took control, and he became a prisoner of war.
To tell this story, his daughter leaned on a rich archive: Claude's diaries spanning from 1943 to 1948, his articles, documentation, photos, journals and reports up until 1962,
It was clear that he possessed two remarkable gifts. He was a natural-born journalist, capable of capturing the essence of his experiences with a keen eye for detail and atmosphere. He was also deeply reflective, maintaining a diary over the years, whether daily, weekly, or monthly, and meticulously archiving his life's events. So, the stories during these mind-blowing events, shared in this book come mostly from a direct source - Renée had the privilege of knowing them firsthand.
Some of Claude's WWII insights:
On 10 January 1942, Japan officially declared war on the Dutch East Indies. Immediately he became a prisoner of war. More than once, he had faced death before seeing the sunrise again.
In May 1944, he was transported as a Prisoner Of War to Nagasaki, Japan. Several times bombers attacked the convoy. And on 24 June an American submarine torpedoed his ship with hundreds of prisoners on board, causing it to sink in minutes. Most of the prisoners drowned on the sinking ship. A passing Japanese whaling ship picked up the survivors and took them to Nagasaki. They ended up in Camp Fukuoka 14 where they had to work in the Mitsubishi factories.
On 9 August 1945, he witnessed the consequences of the nuclear bomb that was launched above Nagasaki, barely 2000 meters from his Prisoners Of War camp. The forced labour, he had endured there, servitude and humiliation paled into insignificance. The entire factory district where the camp was located was completely destroyed. Dropping the atomic bomb contributed to the capitulation of the Japanese Empire on 15 August 1945. Then two days later, on the 17th of August, political leader Sukarno declared an independent republic of Indonesia. The Netherlands disagreed and hell broke loose, stretching until December 1949. For many, including my parents, who were both Prisoners Of War during this Independence War, it was more devastating, than the Japanese occupation. Marked by extreme cruelty and hardship.
Yet, despite the adversity Claude faced, the light of hope never faded from his eyes. His resilience and determination saw him through tough times. Each time he stumbled, he found a way to rise again and continue for- ward. This optimistic outlook kept the sun shining in his eyes, alongside the joyous moments life brought his way - love, engaging work, and adventures into the unknown.
Renée's main goal in telling this story has been to show how big, sweeping events - like wars - can completely change a person's life. Her father's life was shaped by the harsh realities of war, a truth he lived through. Hopefully this story reaches people who might not have any direct ties to the Dutch East Indies, New Guinea, or the Pacific wars of 1942-1949. His daughter likes to bridge the gap between different times and places, to bring people into Claude's world, hoping they will find something in his story that resonates with them, something that makes them feel connected to a larger human story.
