Penelehhistory.com: Surabaya (26/8/24) – Some of us may already know what Pindad is. Pindad is a State-Owned Defense Company, which is now located in the city of Bandung. Initially Pindad was in Surabaya under the name Artillerie Constructie Winkel (ACW).
Quoted from Wikipedia literature, it is written that Pindad began its history in 1808 with the name Artillerie Constructie Winkel (ACW). At that time, the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Herman Willem Daendels, established a workshop to produce, maintain and repair weapons under the name Constructie Winkel (CW) in Surabaya.
This workshop became the first defense industry in the Dutch East Indies. Daendels then also built a large-scale amunitions workshop under the name Produktiel Fabriek (PF) and a chemical laboratory in Semarang.
In 1850, the Dutch East Indies government established a workshop for the production and repair of ammunition and explosives for the Navy under the name Pyrotechnische Werkplaats (PW) in 1850 in Surabaya. On January 1, 1851, the CW’s name was changed to Artillerie Constructie Winkel (ACW).
In 1861, PW was merged into ACW, so that ACW had three units, namely a weapons and equipment production unit, an ammunition and explosives production unit, and a research laboratory unit.
ACW Director’s grave in Peneleh
Paul François Corneille Vreede, born in Tilburg 16 mei 1812 and died in Surabaya 18 mei 1861. Militair in het Nederlandse leger (artillerie) van 1830 tot 1848. Militair KNIL (artillery) 1848 – 1861
It is known that the grave of ACW director Paul F.C. Vreede is in the Surabaya Peneleh European Cemetery, which was opened in 1847. The tomb is made of cast iron structure and has a beautiful shape and ornamentation. There the name Paul F.C. is beautifully engraved vreede. In his history, Paul F.C. Vreede was involved in weapons manufacturing for the Dutch and later Dutch East Indies army throughout his military career. He first worked for the artillery workshops in Delft. In 1848 he left for the Dutch East Indies with his wife Diderica/Diederika.
Vreede came to work in the Gouvernements Constructie Winkel (the weapons factory for the Navy and Army) in Surabaya. When this was split and the army part was moved to the former iron factory De Phoenix, Vreede became second in command next to director Lieutenant Colonel C.G. von Deutsch. He resigned in 1854 and Paul F.C. Vreede was promoted to major and the new director of the Artillery Construction Shop.
Vreede died in 1861, aged 49; his wife followed him two years later. His cast iron grave monument and the smaller grave slab for his wife were made in the Artillery Construction Workshop. Production there was exclusively for the army, but grave monuments for their own soldiers were also included. (TiMe Amsterdam/nng).
Sources:
PT. Pindad, pindad.com
Genealogie online P.F.C. Vreedem., Imexbo, P.F.C. Vreede
Fajar Yuliyanto, History of Industrialial Development in Surabaya, Radar Surabaya.id, June 7 2024
Java Bode, June 8, 1861. Regering Verslag, Verslag van het beheer en den staat der Oost-Indische bezittingen over 1854, p. 123.