Jan Joseph Godfried baron van Voorst tot Voorst
| Jan Joseph Godfried baron van Voorst tot Voorst | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 29, 1880 Kampen, Netherlands |
| Died | November 11, 1963 (aged 82) Vierakker, Netherlands |
| Allegiance |
 Netherlands
|
| Service/branch | Royal Netherlands Army |
| Years of service | 1901 – 1940 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | |
Jan Joseph Godfried, Baron van Voorst tot Voorst (Godfried) Jr. (December 29, 1880, Kampen –November 11, 1963, Vierakker) was the second highest officer in command of the Dutch armed forces during World War II and a renowned strategist, who wrote numerous articles and books on modern warfare.
He was the fifth child of Jan Joseph Godfried van Voorst tot Voorst sr. (1846–1931), lieutenant general and president of the Senate, and Anna Cremers (1851–1933). With his first wife, Jkvr. Octavia Ottine van Nispen tot Pannerden (1885–1947), he had 6 children. His second wife, Jkvr. Joanna Maria Alfrida Louisa (1910–1992), was a daughter of the Dutch Prime Minister Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck.
After he completed his secondary education, he was admitted to the Royal Military Academy (KMA) in Breda in 1898. In 1901, he graduated first in his class, and enlisted in an infantry regiment in Haarlem. During the general railway strikes in 1903, he was the only lieutenant in charge of a unit protecting the train station of Haarlem. In 1907, he became a personal adjutant of Queen Wilhelmina, and in this function accompanied her on various state visits. During the First World War and the mobilization of the Dutch Army, he served in various ranks. These experiences and his concerns regarding the Schlieffen Plan led him to write a study highlighting the critical importance of the province of Limburg in German strategic planning. The publication was translated into Spanish, English, French and Norwegian. In 1920, Godfried became a member of the general staff and represented the Netherlands in the disarmament conference in Geneva.
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