The Hague, 1917. The Netherlands is neutral during the First World War. But the rise of armed aircraft jolts Minister of War Nicolaas Bosboom awake: the threat from the sky will only grow. He doesn’t wait. The army immediately begins building ground-based air defence.
To engage enemy aircraft from the ground, the first anti-aircraft artillery units are formed. At first, it’s challenging: machine guns have a range of only 600 to 1,000 metres, and field guns are mainly suited to static ground targets. Air targets—such as zeppelins and aircraft—move constantly.
In 1922, the first Anti-Aircraft Artillery School is established in Utrecht. There, soldiers learn to fire converted guns in three dimensions: high, far, and in the right direction. Moving a gun no longer requires two horses: at an entrenched firing position, one soldier could theoretically be enough. Development accelerates quickly.
The development of anti-aircraft artillery
“In the 1920s, anti-aircraft machine guns could hit targets up to about 1,000 metres,” says André Polfliet, vice-chair of the Historical Collection Ground-Based Air Defence (HCGLVD). “Before long, listening devices were added, allowing enemy aircraft to be detected from kilometres away. During the Second World War, anti-aircraft artillery proved its value: despite German superiority, Dutch gunners shot down 314 enemy aircraft. After that, innovation took off. With radar and missile systems such as Hawk and Patriot, layered air defence emerged—capable of engaging targets at low, medium and high altitude.”
“Despite German superiority, Dutch gunners shot down 314 enemy aircraft.”
Miniatures and medals
The HCGLVD tells the story of anti-aircraft artillery across three buildings at the Luitenant-generaal Best Barracks in Vredepeel. Visitors don’t just see large guns and radar systems—they also discover around fifty display cases featuring personal items, such as pocket notebooks filled with calculations and military decorations.
“Miniatures bring to life objects that are large, lost, or displayed elsewhere. Our showpiece? The 1832 tribute, awarded to the Second Regiment of Fortress Artillery: a tangible reminder of the roots of air defence. There’s also a medal corner with a unique rotating display case, packed with memories of missions around the world.”
“The collection helps visitors understand where our current systems come from.”
Free admission
The collection doesn’t just make history visible—it gives it meaning. It shows how the Netherlands has defended itself from airborne threats for more than a century—from zeppelins and bombers to missiles and drones.
“Especially now, when air defence is in the news every day, the collection helps visitors understand where today’s systems come from,” André says. “Each year, we tell this story to more than 4,000 visitors. Access to the barracks is free, but you do need to complete a short questionnaire first. Once that’s done, our enthusiastic team is ready to welcome you—with a powerful story, a remarkable collection, and beautiful display cases.”
Behind every object in a display case is a remarkable story. We share these historical, exciting and immersive stories in our Display Case Story series.
Do you have a Display Case Story worth sharing? Let Colinde van de Vliet know via info@sdb.nu.
