Background
Willem January Derx was born in Elmina on the Dutch Gold Coast to governor Willem George Frederik Derx and Jacoba Araba Bartels, daughter of the Euro-African trader Carel Hendrik Bartels.
Willem January Derx was born in Elmina on the Dutch Gold Coast to governor Willem George Frederik Derx and Jacoba Araba Bartels, daughter of the Euro-African trader Carel Hendrik Bartels.
Derx was installed as midshipman on 16 September 1863, and was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1867, lieutenant commander on 1 January 1879, to commander on 16 December 1890, to captain on 1 February 1895, to schout-bij-nacht in 1902, and to vice admiral in 1904. Derx retired from the military in 1906. He died in Haarlem on 29 April 1913.
