By: Prabowo Subianto [taken from the Book: Military Leadership Notes from Experience Chapter I]
On the battlefield, Slamet Riyadi was always in front of his troops. Slamet Riyadi, with his famous and legendary army, always managed to keep pace with the Dutch forces. Slamet Riyadi proved that the TNI and the Republic of Indonesia could attack the Dutch power centres, including Surakarta (Solo), which was defended with heavy weapons, artillery, infantry forces and good commanders.
Lt. Col. Slamet Riyadi has proved to the next generation of TNI leaders that he was a leader who always led from the front. He was always present at the most critical places and times, controlling the situation up close and setting an example. He was undaunted in the face of any dangers, and he gave his life for the glory of Indonesia and the TNI.
At a very young age, Ignatius Slamet Riyadi, born on July 26, 1927, formed a guerrilla force to support the independence proclamation on 17 August 1945. He had been fighting since the Japanese colonial era. At the onset of the Japanese occupation, Slamet Riyadi, who hailed from Solo, was enrolled in the Marine Academy of the Japanese Military Government in Jakarta.
On one occasion, he met fellow nationalists who were conspiring to expel the Japanese. When Japan eventually lost World War II, Slamet Riyadi invited his fellow sailors to take up arms. They even managed to take control of a Japanese ship.
After that, Slamet Riyadi returned to Solo and gathered the youths of former Japanese-organised armed forces such as PETA, Heiho, Kaigun to support the struggle of the People of Solo against the Dutch forces trying to re-colonize Indonesia.
Slamet Riyadi was directly involved in various battles against the Dutch in his struggle, including during the first and the second Dutch Military Aggression. Slamet Riyadi led troops in several areas in Central Java, including in Ambarawa and Semarang.
On the battlefield, Slamet Riyadi was always in front of his troops. Slamet Riyadi, with his famous and legendary army, always managed to withstand the Dutch forces. He proved that the TNI and the Republic of Indonesia could attack the Dutch power bases, including Surakarta, which at that time was heavily defended with artillery, infantry forces and commandos.
Slamet Riyadi, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, was a soldier who led the Surakarta General Offensive on August 7-10, 1949. The attack, also known as the Four-Day General Offensive, was carried out before a ceasefire took effect to demonstrate the TNI’s strength in expelling the Dutch from the country. For the successful attack, Slamet Riyadi was granted authority over Surakarta by the Dutch through the order of Major General F. Mollinger.
Slamet Riyadi’s struggle did not end there. Slamet Riyadi was also sent to West Java to fight the Legion of Ratu Adil (APRA), formed by former Dutch Colonial Army Special Troop (KNIL DST) Captain Raymond Westerling in January 1950 in Bandung.
After the Dutch recognition of Indonesia’s independence at the end of December 1949, Slamet Riyadi was sent to Ambon to suppress the Republic of South Maluku (RMS) rebellion on July 10, 1950.
In the operation to apprehend Dr Soumokil, the leader of the RMS, Slamet Riyadi, was trusted by the TNI leadership as the Commander of the operations to spearhead into Ambon.
TNI forces managed to occupy most of Ambon City through intense fighting except for a few strategic positions, including the heavily defended Fort Victoria. At that time, the rebel forces were reinforced by former Dutch colonial Special Forces troops commonly called ‘Red Caps’ and ‘Green Caps’, which had the ability and experience to thwart attacks by the TNI with greater efficiency.
In the end, Fort Victoria was seized. But in a fierce battle at the fort’s gate, Slamet Riyadi, who was always on the front line leading his troops, was hit by a rebel bullet while signalling his men. Despite receiving medical treatment, he passed away at 21:45 on November 4, 1950. Slamet Riyadi was promoted posthumously to the rank of Brigadier General.
Brigadier General Posthumous Slamet Riyadi has proved to the next generation of TNI leaders that he was a leader who always fought in the battlefronts amidst his men. He was always present at the most critical places and moments, took control of the situation on the ground, and set an example. He was undaunted in the face of danger and lost his life for the glory of Indonesia and the TNI.