Dutch origins and migration
The Otterspoor family came from Utrecht in the Netherlands. Twins Servanus (John) and Arnoldus (Harry) were born there on 19 November 1892, and their younger brother Franciscus Jacobus (Frank) followed on 15 November 1894. Their parents, Servanus Otterspoor and Hendrika Johanna van Kesteren, raised the family in Utrecht before they migrated to Queensland in 1912 aboard the S.S. Gneisenau. After a brief return to the Netherlands in 1913, the family resettled permanently in Australia, making their home at Coopers Plains, Brisbane.
Franciscus Jacobus (Frank) Otterspoor
Frank was the first of the brothers to enlist, joining the 31st Battalion, AIF on 19 July 1915. He was sent to the Western Front, where his battalion entered the line at Fromelles. On 19 July 1916, during one of the darkest days in Australia’s military history, Frank was killed in action. He was 21 years old. Today he lies in the Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery near Fleurbaix, France, and his name is listed on Panel 119 of the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Servanus (John) Otterspoor
John followed his brother’s example and enlisted in Brisbane on 9 February 1917. He was allocated to the 4th Pioneer Battalion, a unit combining infantry training with engineering skills. On 13 June 1917, he sailed from Sydney aboard HMAT Hororata bound for Europe. In early 1918 he joined his battalion in France during the desperate struggle to hold the line against the German spring offensive. On 22 May 1918, near Villers-Bretonneux, John was killed in action at the age of 25.
John had married Trintje (Trijntje) Haarsma, herself of Dutch heritage, before going to war. She was noted in contemporary Brisbane newspapers as “Nurse Otterspoor” of Annerley Road, South Brisbane. After his death she later moved to Cleveland, Ohio, but her husband’s sacrifice continued to be honoured in both Australia and the Netherlands. John is buried at the Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, near Amiens, and remembered on Panel 174 at the Australian War Memorial.
Arnoldus (Harry) Otterspoor
The third brother, Arnoldus, served with the 11th Light Horse Regiment. He fought in the Middle East campaign and survived the war, returning to Australia in 1919. His survival carried the family legacy forward, though at the cost of two brothers’ lives.
Legacy of Dutch Australians in war
The Otterspoor brothers exemplify the contribution of Dutch migrants and their families to Australia’s war effort. Their story blends migration, integration, and sacrifice. In Australia they were Queenslanders; in heritage they remained Dutch. Their service and deaths link the two nations through shared history.
Preservation of the Yeronga memorial
John’s name is inscribed on the Yeronga Memorial Park cenotaph in Brisbane, one of 97 servicemen from the former Stephens Shire honoured there. Sadly, the memorial has suffered neglect and even desecration in recent years. Community members and heritage groups are now seeking action from both Australian and Dutch authorities to ensure proper restoration of the cenotaph. Preserving this monument safeguards not only the memory of John Otterspoor but also of all who are remembered on its stones.
See also:
John Otterspoor Roll of honour
Frank Otterspoor Roll of Honour
