Boelongan, A Piece Journey Period Ago

A diver, Saturday (29/12/2012), seeks to document one side of the wreck allegedly a Boelongan
at a depth of about 20 meters in the waters of the Mandeh Bay, Pesisir Selatan District, West Sumatra.
(Photo by Ingki Rinaldi/Kompas)

Wednesday, January 28, 1942, after the midday prayer time in Nagari Mandeh, Pesisir Selatan District, West Sumatra. Anas Malin Randah, a teenager when it was, relaxing at the cottage shifting over the hills.

His father was still planting rice in a field when a squadron of Japanese warplanes like wailing over his head. "There's 12 warplanes," said Anas, who is now aged 83 years, last week. Not long ago, the sound of bombs shouted as if to break his eardrums. Anas and his three brothers and a sister rushed to the rock cave for shelter, as quoted from Travel.Kompas.com, Monday (14/01/2013).

Anas was able to record the attack. Japanese warplanes bombarded the Dutch ship, believed to be Boelongan. The attack lasted about three hours until late afternoon. Eight new fighter warplanes to replace the role previously 12. The attack shut down by six warplanes.

Boelongan ship sank after a bombed at the bow, stern, and exactly chimney. Anas also saw a number of crew members who abandoned Boelongan ship with lifeboats.

"The Dutch had fled," said Anas. Boelongan ship sink with horizontal position. The entire body was badly damaged.

When bombed, Boelongan open position Mandeh Bay, a distance of about 200 meters from the nearest land, and about 70 kilometers from the Padang City. This area is one of the west coast of Sumatra routes are very busy in the past.

Anas remember Boelongan in the area since about a week earlier. Boelongan first enter from the estuary in Nagari Sungai Nyalo Mudik Aie neighboring Mandeh Bay. Then, Boelongan refuge in the Dalam Bay between the Cubadak Island and Taraju Island still in Mandeh water water.

At the same time, about 350 km from the Mandeh Bay, Jatar (87) was working at Aie Bangis, West Pasaman District, West Sumatra. Jatar also from Nagari Mandeh decided to go home after bombing out. A few months later, Japan was looking for young men in villages. "Some are hired to build ships in Nagari Sungai Pinang, Pesisir Selatan, and some sent to Logas, Sijunjung District, West Sumatra," he said.

Shipping to Logas related to forced labor to build rail networks. It relates to plan the transport of coal from Ombilin, Sawahlunto to Logas, before continuing towards the Riau.

Edge breakout
The story of Boelongan ship owned Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij can not be separated with the sinking of the Van Imhoff II ship to the west of Nias Island, North Sumatra, after Japan bombed on January 19, 1942. The ship was carrying 400 German prisoners.

Horst H Geerken in a book entitled A Magic Gecko: Peran CIA di Balik Jatuhnya Soekarno (2011) explained, on January 20, 1942, Boelongan looks at the location of the sinking Van Imhoff II. However, since the only remaining lifeboat containing German prisoners, Boelongan which is under the control of Captain ML Berveling turnaround without rendering aid.

Decision Berveling allegedly linked map World War II when Germany joined in the axis forces with Japan and Italy. On the other hand, the Dutch joined the Allied stronghold of whom moved Britain and the United States. Earlier, Germany struck Rotterdam in the Netherlands with a bombed in May 1940.

Boelongan who acted as accompanist Van Imhoff allegedly returned to the south to Padang to continue to the south coast leads to Batavia or Australia. This is evident from the current position of the ship sinking.

At dives performed of Kompas last week at the location of the sinking Boelongan, bow shipwrecks visible on the southwest side. The stern is located in the northeast which indicates that the ship was heading south.

The cab rig looks collapsed onto the deck at a depth of about 20 meters. According to the Head of Technical Services Subsection Loka Research Resources and Coastal Vulnerability, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Nia Naelul Hasanah, conclusions Boelongan wreck is based on detailed measurements.

Long known vessel 74 meters in width the center 11 meters, 13 meters wide stern, the bow 10 meters wide and 8 meters high. High vessel measured not represent the actual size as most of the hull immersed sediment.

The measurement results were similar to the Boelongan specifications data in a number of references. Another ship was sunk in the channel in the same period, Buijskes and Elout, has a larger dimension. Aside from being a transport ship, says Nia, Boelongan also often used the Dutch colonial officials during a visit to the Sultanate Bulungan in East Kalimantan.

Critical period
Historians of Padang State University, Prof Dr Mestika Zed said Boelongan sinking and the Japanese invasion marked a critical period of Dutch rule in Indonesia. Japanese fast attack unexpectedly the Dutch.

The period December 1941-February 1942 was marked by an air strike Japan in repeatedly. According Mestika, assault with a pattern of suicide planes like the Japanese against the United States Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, prevalent during that period.

Nearly 71 years after the sinking Boelongan, residents in the surrounding areas tend not receive benefits. In fact, the history that surrounded him, the wreck could be a tourist attraction and the object of research is not only beneficial for the local people, but also for science.

* Read this article in Bahasa here.