Career
He was also the appointed Governor of Aceh from 1905 until 1908. As a young officer in the rank of Lieutenant and Captain Van Daalen was awarded several prestigious military distinctions for proven bravery. Although notorious due to his controversial approach during the final phases of the protracted Aceh War and his consequent conflicts with both Van Heutsz and Snouck Hurgronje, he was appointed Governor of Aceh between 1905 and 1908.
He was eventually promoted to the highest rank of Luitenant-generaal in 1909 and became Commander of the KNIL in 1910, before retiring and repatriating in 1914.
Van Daalen"s "Gajo-, Alas-, and Batak Campaign" of the Aceh War in 1904 is mostly remembered for his hard crack down of the last Acehnese and Batak pockets of resistance. Van Daalen"s force included 10 European officers, 13 European non-commissioned officers and 208 Javanese and Ambonese military police officers (Dutch: Marechaussee).
The Dutch press reported on the death toll and published images of the brutal warfare in Aceh shocking Dutch public opinion. Heavy critique from the Dutch House of Representatives called for an investigation into the alleged atrocities and damaged the KNIL"s overall prestige.
In the heated debate Van Daalen himself was compared to the Iron Duke of Alba, a notoriously harsh and cruel ruler from Dutch national history.
Although absolved from any crimes, Van Daalen"s reputation remained stained and all his subsequent promotions were therefore contentious.
