During the war years the government instituted a military draft system for young men on the Antillean islands. Most of them came from the islands Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, but all six islands were represented.
Several thousand men, born between 1918 and 1927, served for a period in the SCHUTTERIJ. They guarded the strategically important locations on the islands, manned gun batteries, lookout stations and even served on warships.
On these pages an overview is given of the names of these young men, their registration or “stamboek” numbers and island of birth. And, if known, their birth year.
Their sacrifice and efforts were crucial in the defense of the islands during WW2, and their names deserve to be remembered.