Nikolaas Paap
Nikolaas Paap | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 November 1787 |
| Died | 17 November 1879 (aged 92) |
| Occupation | Military officer |
| Years active | 1807–1843 |
| Era | Pre-Vader Era |
| Parents |
|
| Family | Paap family |
Nikolaas Paap (17 November 1787 – 17 November 1879) was a Dutch artillery officer from the Paap family. He entered the horse artillery as an enlisted kanonnier in 1807 and later rose to the rank of majoor. His frontline service ended after he lost his left arm at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, after which he continued in artillery depot service until his retirement in 1843.
Military career
Nikolaas was the youngest child of Martinos Nikolopoulos and Eleni Anagnostopoulou. He was born in the Dutch Republic on 17 November 1787.[1]
In 1807, aged 19, Paap enlisted in the horse artillery of the Kingdom of Holland as a kanonnier. He saw combat at the Battle of Friedland during his first year of service. He was promoted to korporaal in 1809 and fought at Stralsund that year.
Paap remained in military service following the French annexation of the Kingdom of Holland. He was promoted to wachtmeester in 1811 and served with the artillery during the French invasion of Russia in 1812. At the Battle of Borodino, most of the crew serving his gun were killed or wounded. Paap kept the gun in action with the remaining crew until reinforcements reached the position. He was commissioned as a tweede luitenant later that year and subsequently took part in the fighting at the Battle of Berezina.
In 1813, Paap served during the campaign in Germany and fought at the Battle of Dresden. He later fought at the Battle of Leipzig, where a cannonball struck and shattered his left arm. He was removed from the battlefield and survived, but the arm had to be amputated.
After recovering, Paap returned to artillery service in the Netherlands as a depot officer. He remained in the army and was eventually promoted to majoor. During the Belgian Revolution, he served at an artillery depot supporting the Dutch field army during the military operations of 1830–1831 and the Ten Days' Campaign. He received the Metalen Kruis 1830–1831 for his service.
Paap retired from the army in 1843 after 36 years of military service.
Retirement
After leaving the army, Paap settled permanently in Schiedam. He joined the Vereniging Het Metalen Kruis after its establishment in 1853. He later became chairman of its afdeling Delft, Schiedam en omstreken.
Paap remained active in the association during his retirement and continued living in Schiedam. He never married and had no children.
Death
Nikolaas Paap died in Schiedam on 17 November 1879, his 92nd birthday.
See also
- Paap family
- Paap family members
- Martinos Nikolopoulos
- Johannes Paap
- Early history of the Paap family
References
- ↑ "Establishment of the Paap family". Early history of the Paap family. Vrienden Universe Wiki.