Johannes Paap
Johannes Paap | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 11 November 1781 |
| Died | 14 February 1886 (aged 104) |
| Occupations |
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| Era | Early Foundation Era |
| Spouse | Lotte Johanne Bruns |
| Children | |
| Parents |
|
| Family | Paap family |
Johannes Paap (11 November 1781 – 14 February 1886) was a Dutch cavalry officer and horse breeder from the Paap family. He served in the cavalry from 1799 until 1835, passing through the armies of the Batavian Republic, Kingdom of Holland, First French Empire and Netherlands. He reached the rank of ritmeester and fought in campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars and the Ten Days' Campaign. After leaving military service, he established Hofstede Paapenhof in Oostvoorne, where he bred and trained riding horses.
Early life and military entry
Johannes was born in Delft on 11 November 1781 as the second child of Martinos Nikolopoulos and Eleni Anagnostopoulou. He belonged to the first generation of their family born after the establishment of the Paap surname in the Dutch Republic.[1]
In 1799, aged 17, Johannes entered the Batavian cavalry as a cadet. His first campaign came during the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland. He continued in military service as the political organization of the Netherlands changed during the following years.
Johannes was commissioned as a tweede luitenant in 1805. He subsequently served with the hussars of the Kingdom of Holland and took part in the campaign in Swedish Pomerania. He later served with the 3rd Dutch Hussars during the Peninsular War in Spain.
Cavalry career
Johannes was promoted to eerste luitenant in 1810. Following the French annexation of the Kingdom of Holland, he entered French imperial service and served with the 11th Hussars. He remained on active duty during the French invasion of Russia in 1812.
During close cavalry fighting in Russia, Johannes received a sword cut across his right cheek toward the jaw. The wound left a permanent scar but caused no lasting physical impairment. He remained in service after recovering and continued campaigning during the later stages of the Napoleonic Wars.
After the restoration of the Netherlands, Johannes entered Regiment Huzaren No. 6. He served as an eerste luitenant during the Waterloo campaign in 1815.
At the Battle of Waterloo, the captain commanding Johannes's squadron was wounded. Johannes assumed temporary command, rallied hussars who had become scattered during the fighting and led them in a countercharge against French cavalry. During the action, he personally killed a French cavalry officer. He then kept part of the squadron in position while wounded Dutch soldiers were removed from the fighting.
Johannes received the Military William Order, 4th Class, later in 1815 for his conduct at Waterloo. His combat record and temporary command of the squadron contributed to his promotion to ritmeester in 1818. He remained with Regiment Huzaren No. 6 after the promotion.
Fifteen enemy combatants were documented as having been killed by Johannes during his military career.
Johannes remained an active ritmeester during the Belgian Revolution. In the Ten Days' Campaign of 1831, he commanded a hussar squadron at the Battle of Hasselt. His squadron pursued retreating Belgian forces after the Dutch breakthrough. During the pursuit, Johannes overtook a fleeing Belgian officer, jumped from his horse onto him and brought him to the ground before forcing his surrender.
His conduct at Hasselt resulted in an eervolle vermelding. He also received the Metalen Kruis 1830–1831 for his service in the campaign. As a surviving veteran of French imperial service, he later received the Médaille de Sainte-Hélène. He also received the Zilveren Herdenkingskruis 1813–1815.
Johannes retired from active military service in 1835 after 36 years in the cavalry.
Hofstede Paapenhof
After leaving the army, Johannes settled in Oostvoorne. On 19 December 1835, he opened Hofstede Paapenhof, a privately owned property devoted to breeding and training riding horses.
Johannes managed the stables and worked as a riding instructor. His long cavalry career influenced his approach to riding and horse training, while the business itself concentrated on producing riding horses.
He continued managing Hofstede Paapenhof into old age. He later transferred its management to his elder son, Martinus Paap.
Personal life and death
After the Waterloo campaign, Johannes married Lotte Johanne Bruns, a woman from the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg whom he had met in the Netherlands. They had two sons, Martinus and Tjark Paap.
Johannes and Lotte remained in Oostvoorne during their later lives. Both died in their sleep on 14 February 1886. Their deaths were attributed to natural causes associated with old age. Johannes was 104 years old.
See also
- Paap family
- Paap family members
- Early history of the Paap family
- Martinos Nikolopoulos
- Hofstede Paapenhof
References
- ↑ "Establishment of the Paap family". Early history of the Paap family. Vrienden Universe Wiki.