1879-1914 |
via email from Jeroen Spandaw, 9-20-06 On http://www.earlyaviators.com/espandaw.htm you ask for information about Gerard David Spandaw, first lieutenant of the O.I.L (Oost-Indisch Leger = East Indian Army). He was born on October 27, 1879, probably in Arnhem (Netherlands). His father, ds. (rev.) Isaac Sannes Spandaw (my great-grandfather), was a vicar in the best family tradition. Isaac had 3 sons and 2 daughters, Gerard David being the second. His elder brother, Pieter, is my grandfather. Both Pieter, Gerard David and the 3rd son, Hajo Albert, left for Indonesia (then a Dutch colony: Dutch East Indies) . Gerard David was one of the first Dutch pilots and some kind of co-founder of the air-plane division of the O.I.L. At that time he had to go to Belgium to learn how to fly. He crashed during a thunderstorm while practising near Soesterberg. (You can infer the date from the newspaper article.) He was buried with military honors on the Moscova cemetery in Arnhem. His gravestone can still be seen and is protected as a monument. My father's cousin (son of the youngest sister of G.D.) told me all this (he is interested in genealogy). He told me he has a newspaper clipping (with horrible details about how his glasses were smashed through his eye-balls...) and a photograph of the funeral somewhere. (Unfortunately, he doesn't have e-mail.) Yours respectfully, Jeroen Spandaw |
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The Daily Journal and Tribune, Knoxville, Tennessee: July 4, 1914, Transcribed by Bob Davis - 6-30-04 |
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He was buried with military honors on the Moscova cemetery in Arnhem. If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper Back 
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