W.M. van der Leeuw was captain of the Infantry of Special Forces. In 1947, he took part in the Agresi Militer Belanda I, the military campaign known in the Netherlands as the Second Military Action. In between the skirmishes, there was time for everyday activities. That included visits to Indonesia’s tourist attractions. Here, we see Van der Leeuw in the final year of the war at Borobudur (Central Java), the largest Buddhist temple in the world. The soldiers are posing next to centuries-old statues. They are clearly enjoying themselves: the caption under one of the photos says “Beer!” (Bier!).
Dutch soldiers visiting the Borobudur. Central Java, June 1949. Photographs taken by W.M. van der Leeuw. Or. 27.764, album 4, page 21, 24 and 25.