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97365
Sergeant
Jan Willem Coppenrath
1916/08/18 - Date of Birth
1942/02/17 - Married Henriette Albertine Reijgers
(Henriette was born: June 15, 1923)
Netherlands Army
Jan on right
Japanese PoW
1942/03/08 - Captured Java
PoW No. JI 7183
Japanese Index Card One - Side One
Japanese Index Card One - Side Two
Japanese Index Card Two - Side One
Japanese Index Card Two - Side Two
1943/02/09 - Transported in Roko Maru from Batavia, Java to Singapore with Java Party 13.
Ranking number 28, boarding number 164.
(704 British, 296 Dutch PoWs)
1943/02/12 - Arrived Singapore, to Changi Camp.
1943/05/06 - Transported overland to Thailand with ‘H’ Force, train 2.
The 78th train to Thailand
New PoW No. I 20514
1943/06/21 - Jan was on roll at Kannyu Camp, Thailand with Lt-Col. R.R Humphreys as Commander of ‘H’ Force
He worked at the area around Tonchan Spring.
Then Chungkai where he sketched a burial at the Chunkai Hospital Cemetery.
Jan also sketched ‘F’ Force returning from Songkurai.
He then returned to Singapore late 1943, where he remained until the end of the war.
‘The Changi Sketch Book’ by Jan Wlliem Coppenrath
Post War
Jan and Henriette were blessed with:-
Sons, Donovan, Eugene, Peter, Maurits
Daughters, Pauline, Janneke, Hanny, Louise
Son Peter 1948
Jan Willem was a pharmacist, amd in his spare time was an artist, musician and church choir director. He played piano, accordion, guitar and wind instruments. He also played the pipe organ for churches in the Dutch Indies (Indonesia), the Netherlands and U.S.A.
House in the Indies 1948
His family were displaced to the Netherlands in 1955 where he served as pharmacist at the Deventer Hospital and the Delta Ziekenhuis south of Rotterdam.
He and his family immigrated to the USA in 1962 under the displaced persons act and settled in Napa California where he lived until his death.
He worked as an assistant pharmacist at the Napa State Hospital until he opted for a better pay with JC Pennys as their warehouse manager in Vallejo, California.
Trees and snow 1982
His artistry used various media to include, oil paint, water color, ink, pencil, wood and clay sculpture.
Windmill 1982
Jan Willem was a prolific artist and most of his art work remains with his children
Died
13th June 2003
In Napa, California
Henriette died 26th November 2016 in Napa, California
Information
Peter Coppenrath - Son
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Java Parties
Java 13 Dutch Roll
Java Personnel
Thailand-Burma Railway
KEW Files:- WO 361/1949, WO 361/2009, WO 361/2233,
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